


Sole Survivor

by Lady_Fenikkusu



Series: Marie Jane Shepard [1]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Emotional Hurt, Language, Multi, Original Character Death(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-13
Updated: 2015-05-26
Packaged: 2018-03-30 08:36:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 31,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3930172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Fenikkusu/pseuds/Lady_Fenikkusu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>While in her training to become an N-7, Marie Jane Shepard is on a mission with Commander Greens, preparing to go on a combat op for her training to continue. On the way the Ship is given a side mission to check out the loss of contact with the Akuze Colony.<br/>Earth-born back story, with the Sole Survivor rep.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Lost Contact

**Author's Note:**

> This is my own little story of how things went down on Akuze in the Sole Survivor history of Mass Effect. Female Shepard. Please be kind to me in any reviews you place up.  
> Rated Mature for use the death factor and bad language. May not be suitable for minors.  
> I own none of the Mass Effect franchise and so I give my biggest apologize if I mess anything up.
> 
> ~" "~ means comm talk, FYI

“So you want to use this as a joint op?” Someone asked behind the commander as they listened to the vid feed.

~“I cannot help where our troops are sent for their War Training nor can I someone change that when suddenly two different groups are due to fight undertake training on the same planet. I see no reason why the two sides cannot join and learn together, even if only for a few hours of the day.”~ the Turian on the other end of the comms answered, ~“Plus, we have been hearing some interesting stories about the way your N-7 program is done and I would be lying if I said some of the young soldiers have not expressed the desire to see for themselves if the training makes you humans as good on the fields of battle as they say.”~

“A friendly sparring match you mean.” A voice stated and the commander looked to his left, the smile bearing showing as a young woman stepped closer so she could be seen on the com vid feed. “Sounds like my kind of op.”

“Twenty creds say Shepard beats his ass to the ground.” Someone whispered.

“Thirty says they beat her.” Someone else stated. 

“You’re both idiots,” someone else stated.

~“Are we in agreement, Commander Greens?”~ The Turian asked and all eyes turned to the gentleman stood in front. 

The old Commander gave a long pause, rubbing his chin lightly while he thought. “I see no reason why not, but it will take us some time to reach the planet designated for the op. think you can keep your men from setting unfair odds?” He asked in good humour.

~“The minute they find out they are getting what they want, they will be more interesting in sparring with themselves to be ready to think about tactics.”~ The Turian stated with a light chuckle. ~“Safe passage, Commander.”~

“And you, General Corinthus.” The Commander stated before the feed fizzed out and ended.

The line cut off and everyone who had been gathered began to chatter about the upcoming event while Shepard made her way to the ships galley for her share of food.

A pair of slip arms lightly wrapped around her shoulders and neck lightly and a delicate chin rested against her shoulder. “So… you enjoy playing with Turians more than spending time with me, Lieutenant Commander Marie Jane Shepard?”

“Of course not Lieutenant Jade Kirana, but I am not about to back up from a challenge when I can get up close and personal.” Shepard smiled leaning against the older woman, “I know you enjoy Turian Company yourself.”

“One of my many addictions. The first being you, Marie Jane Shepard.” Kirana chuckled before sitting beside Shepard with two warm drinks. “I cannot understand why such a beautiful thing like you could have such a brutal and unkind past.” She said quietly.

“Well, unlike Toombs not everyone is born with everything they want and need at their every cry.” Shepard said, “But I can’t complain, street life taught me how to survive anywhere, so this program is just a more comfortable version of that.” She admitted.

“Still glad to have left it?” Kirana asked.

“I wouldn’t say glad… the streets were my home and I still miss some of the things about them… but I wouldn’t wish the streets on anyone.” Shepard said quietly while finishing her food.

“Toombs giving you shit still?”

She nodded.

“If he pisses you off again, shoot him, I’ll cover for you.” She offered and then chuckled when Shepard pretended to think it over, lightly pulling the younger woman into another hug.

~~~@~~~

“Commander Greens Sir, are you sure we should allow Shepard to head this op?” the Corporal asked, trying to hide the distain and anger in his voice as he spoke to the Commander’s back.

“And what, Corporal Toombs is wrong with that choice? She is only a few exams from undergoing her stage review for the ICT training to complete her N-6 ranking, and I am not unaware of your dislike for her due to her history.” The Commander stated.

“Sir… that has nothing to do with this.” Toombs stated with a growl only to stop as the Commander gave a heavy huff.

“Doesn’t it? Then why do you sound so annoyed when I mention her, or the history she has? Are you still angry she was chosen over you to undertake the ICT training when you had been sleeping with the Generals for the past three months to try and gain a place without working for it?” Greens asked. “Marie Jane Shepard is a woman of many skills and her progress shows that she is more than capable of handling this operation alongside myself and Lieutenant Kirana, now you will obey her orders on the field or you will be taking a back seat and I will have you brought up for court marshalling and discharged so fast your head will spin.” 

“But Sir!”

“That is the last I will hear of this Corporal.” Greens stated turning on his heel to face the Corporal. “You have made no secret about your dislike towards Shepard or the number of times you have complained and belittled her methods, yet when it comes down to the grind, you have no real reason to behave or act in such ways.” He added.

“Aye, Sir…” Toombs said before leaving the room, only just remembering to keep his anger under control until he reached his quarters.

Commander Greens had no real enjoyment in dealing with Toombs and his poor excuse for reasons to hold back Shepard and any commander worth their rank could see that the only reason for Toombs dislike for the woman was the history of Shepard.

Few people minded that Shepard had come from the streets, even fewer cared that she was one of the few people who carried a knife with her at all times, a habit that had never been broken from her even in basic training. She was often expected to use the knife when cornered by Toombs in the first few weeks of her time on the ship with him, but she hadn’t even attempted to pull the knife and had instead beaten Toombs and two other men with brute force.

That had earned her a stern reprimanding from the brass, but that had quickly become an apology when Lieutenant Jade Kirana, a Biotic who had witnessed the whole encounter spoke up in Shepard’s defence and shown the vids as evidence, since then, Kirana and Shepard had become a common sight around his ship, the two taking great pleasure in openly flirting and playing to the crew’s need to see something other than Toombs’ ‘I am rich, handsome and perfect in everyway’ routine.

Granted, Hackett had walked in during one of their ‘sessions’ and only caught the tail end of their flirting but it had been enough to make the old man blush like a school boy. Neither Kirana nor Shepard had noticed the old Admiral until he had cleared his throat and that had been enough to make the two ladies laugh and then casually ask if he was there to take them to the brig in cuffs.

Hackett still couldn’t look the two in the face without going red slightly. 

Despite the show however, neither woman was intimate with the other and thus no one really complained about their flirting or their odd habit of hugging and cuddling in the galley, main deck or when they were on drops together and most considered it just an act of comfort for the two, as Kirana always known for her need to have physical contact and Shepard never seemed to mind the closeness of someone she considered her friend.

Toombs however, took every chance he could find to complain to the Brass, only to have his complaints and demands that the two be Court Marshalled for their behaviour ignored by the brass. This served only to anger him more, as he was not use to people telling him no being from a rich and powerful Military family himself, he believed he should have been chosen for the ICT training rather than a ‘street born orphan who had no worth or wealth to her name’.

That remark had cost Toombs a lot of his ‘hard earned’ achievements and he had been put back in rank from a Commander back to a Corporal and due to his continued foolishness, he had not been able to regain his Commander rank or even consider being reinstated for his behaviour.

It seemed he no longer cared about his rank or the way he was seen by others, as he took every chance to try and ruin everything for Shepard and despite the continued failures he was not giving up his attempts, though now, it seemed he would have no choice.

Another Court Marshall would mean he was discharged from the Alliance and that would shame his family beyond words and no matter how much he hated the idea that a street born orphan could get a higher rank than him, his family meant more to him.

~~~@~~~

Shepard sighed softly as she leant against a wall, listening to the hum of the ship around her, it wasn’t often she got time to herself and when she was alone, she still found it almost unreal.

She’d had nothing all her life, only the streets and her own fists to make it thought the days and nights, she’d survived with other kids, huddling for warmth and hiding together to stay out of the rain and away from the cops. She’d gotten some scars from those years and she was still unable to remember much of her time after someone had whacked her over the head with a wooden pole. Eventually she had been ‘adopted’ by a small band of teens who called themselves the Pack and became ‘Runt’, but the street gangs were bloody and she hated it with a passion, and when she reached eighteen she left the streets and joined the Alliance.

It had been like a resort to her, real food, hot water, a bed to sleep on, clean cloths… she didn’t understand why people complained about it, but she never voiced that, knowing that being a street child, many people wouldn’t like her for that and so she had kept her head down and gone through ranks at a steady pace, struggling with some things but excelling at others, much to the shock of some of the boys, she’d had no trouble throwing the instructors for defence and hand to hand around like dolls, that had earned her a few friends and a few admires who grew close to her.

She had turned down all interests in love, focusing herself on her training until one day an Admiral had approached her while she was in medical for a quick check up, and asked her if she would like to try something more challenging.

That was how she’d met Admiral Hackett and been introduced to the ICT program to become an N-7.

The training had been more intense, the mentors would drive you to the limit and beyond and then they’d drag you to the doctor, the few other girls in the program were treated like the boys, no special treatments, no favours, no tolerance to slacking, twenty hours of training in every field and she had loved it.

She’d reached N-5 rank within eighteen months and then had to take a break due to an accidental injury to her left leg, during a mission she had been following orders and taken cover with two other trainees, only to have the cover blown and thrown them all into an industrial crusher, as she had only suffered a bash to the side and back, she was more aware of the danger and acting on instinct she had grabbed the smaller trainee and lifted her up to the side, pushing her out of the danger first before helping the second one out as well, then when trying to get herself out, she had felt something crush against her leg.

The doctor had been shocked the injury hadn’t been worse and thus, the three were put on bed rest.

And now, here she was, aboard the SSV Everfree, under Commander Greens about to undergo an Op to pass her final N-6 exam to become N-7 Rank and to top it off she was going to do it alongside a bunch of Turian officers. She couldn’t have hoped for much better.

She heard movement but pretending not to notice the sudden shadow that had fallen across the room or as it came closer, timid steps told her who it was and she couldn’t help but smile. 

Communications Officer Jennie Ken, a young female who had really no idea how to use a rifle, but was a master with shot guns and pistols, she wasn’t often way from her computer, but sometimes, she did go on field ops just to prove to herself that she could be useful on the battlefield.

She had been blessed with the most brilliant bright blue eyes, soft ivory hair and the most adorable freckles on her face, she wasn’t a very confident girl around strangers, but once she had gotten to know you from a distance and from the ever going loops of gossip, she was a very helpful soul, willing to teach her skills to others and learn new things.

There was a soft chiming sound and Shepard knew it was the pink bow necklace Jennie always wore, a gift to her from the late Lieutenant James Ken, Jennie’s older brother who had sadly passed away only two months ago from battle injuries.

“Shepard… are you down here?” She asked.

“I am.” She said, stepping out to the shadows and lightly dipping her head in greeting. “Something wrong Ken?” she asked, notice the small data pad held in the younger girl’s hand.

“The Commander wants to talk to you.” Ken said handing her the pad, then gave a light blush, “Umm, you’re… umm…” She began then pointed to Shepard’s face, near her lips.

Shepard smirked and lightly wiped the bright red lipstick off her face, “Jade’s mark, nothing big,” She said and chuckled when Ken’s face went as pink as the necklace she wore.

Adorable. 

Utterly and completely.

~~~@~~~

~“A detour?”~ Corinthus asked.

“It seems the Alliance has lost contact with one of our newer colonies, they want us as the only ship in the area to check it out, once we are done we will rendezvous with you and settle our little challenge.” Greens was saying as Shepard arrived. 

~“And you are in agreement of this? It would seem strange that you make a stop when we are just about to take up the challenge.”~ Corinthus asked giving Shepard a slight look.

And she gave him that same look back, puffing her chest up and straightening her shoulders. “You want to make sure we aren’t cheating? Get your asses in gear and come meet us half way.” She said. “I’ll even send you the Colony location so you can come and find me yourself, General.”

“Cool it Shepard.” Greens stated. “We have a duty to the Pioneer team, if we do not go, we could be ignoring lives in danger. But if you insist on making sure the challenge is fair, you are welcome to come yourself and assist us and we can go about this challenge.”

“Yes sir.” Shepard said, then smiled as someone slipped their arms around her waist. “Lieutenant.”

“I thought you promised not to clean my lipstick off your face until we had a mission?” Jade asked sounding mockingly offended. “Did someone convince you to leave me?” She added giving the Turian an accusing look. 

~“I have no idea what you are referring too.”~ Corinthus stated thought the sudden rumble in his voice defined otherwise. ~“If you have not contacted us within 48 hours of leaving for this detour, I shall be coming to find you for this challenge, and I am very good at finding people.”~

“Should I wear something other than armour?” Jade asked with her trade mark smirk. “Or should I be more worried about you taking my lovely Sheps away from me?” She added while tightening her hold on Shepard. 

~“I shall let you fret over that,”~ Corinthus chuckled and then let the line fade out. 

“You are such a tease.” Shepard chuckled.

“He’s mated,” Jade smiled. “I just enjoy riling him up, we have spoken before and I find him… Mmmmm… how can I say this…?”

“Don’t, my brain is already filling with fantasies,” Shepard said while lightly pulling away from Jade, “So, what’s this about lost contact?” 

“Twenty four hours ago, Alliance HQ Lost all Contact with the team on Akuze, the colony is in early stages of completion and with people lined up already to make the place their home, we have to find out why and what if anything has happened to the team.” Greens explained.

“The whole ship?” Shepard asked.

“The colony has a full landing zone and we need to refill the water and fuel tanks.” Greens explained, “Consider it a warm up to the challenge.” He added.

“Hmmm…” Shepard said looking over the mission brief.

“Something wrong?” Jade asked.

“I’m not sure… my gut tells me something is off… people don’t just vanish in this day and age.” Shepard said looking at what they knew. “Something’s not right… and I don’t like not knowing all the facts.”

“No one dose Shepard…” Greens said. “But this is all we have and the Brass can’t give us any more.”

Shepard nodded, though she still didn’t like it, she couldn’t just out right demand that they tell me more if they themselves didn’t know.

“We land on Akuze in five hours, be ready.” The Commander stated waving the two off. “And do try not to entice too many of the men aboard, I have enough trouble getting them to listen when they aren’t sporting a loaded gun.”

“No promises Commander.” The Lieutenant smiled as they left.


	2. Ghost Colony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the colony is perfect, too perfect and they know it.

The place was in near perfect condition, nearly too perfect.

Not normal.

People were just… not there.

No signs of struggle, no signs of a fire fight, not even a place of food left out. 

Everything was just too perfectly in place.

“Anyone else feeling creeped by this or is it just me?”

“You’re creeped out by everything Jennix.” Toombs growled.

“Shepard, what do you make of this place?” Lieutenant Kirana asked. 

“Place is too perfect.” She answered, “No one leave a place this well-kept, not even a cult would be this clean. There would be a small of death, images on the walls, a sound… Something. This just doesn’t fit.”

“You thinking someone came in and took ‘em away? Or that they just up and left?” Jennix asked. “This place is big, but it’s like a maze… got to know where we are going if we want to avoid getting lost.” 

“I don’t know… There would be some sign of it if people had just up and left... This place… it’s like it’s a scene from some kind of movie.” Shepard said. “Too perfect.”

“Toombs take ten crew and scout the north side, Jennix, take another ten and scout west, Kirana, same on the east, Shepard go south, the rest of us make camp here and try to figure this out.” Greens stated. “Ken, try and set up comms with alliance Command and update them.”

~“Aye Commander.”~

The camp was up in a short time, making the place feel less like a ghost colony, while Greens tried to understand why the ship wasn’t able to contact anyone outside of the atmosphere, but they could contact each other.

Ken couldn’t understand it either and was working rapidly on her computer to try and figure it out, quietly muttering to herself as she worked, pausing now and then when she reached a new problem then began to try and work her way through that. 

It was starting to make him uneasy. “Report.” He said into the comms.

~“Whole lots of nothing on the east side,”~ Kirana said over the comms, keeping her voice low to stop any echo. 

~“Same on the west… nothing but clean buildings and streets,”~ Jennix informed, ~“This place is just… creeping me the fuck out.”~

~“Cool your guns, Jennix,”~ Shepard stated, ~“We’ll figure this out and then you can go back into your den and play games.”~ She added and got a chuckle in response. ~“South side’s a ghost town Commander.”~

“Toombs? Anything on your end?” Greens asked.

~“No sir.”~ Toombs answered, ~“Just a whole lot of nothing.”~

“I can’t reach any of the comm relays from here sir… something is wrong with the signals, they are all messed up.” Comms officer Ken stated sounding worried.

“Then we’ll sort this out, Shepard, I want you and Kirana with Ken up on the roofs, find an antenna and get a signal, the rest of you get back here and settle in. If all fails, we wait for the Turians and then we find out what the fuck happened here.”

~“Yes Sir.”~

~~~@~~~

“So, this place has a ‘self-repair’ proto-call… that explains why there is no damage…” Ken said as she worked rapidly on her keyboard. “Maybe I can hack the systems and find out what they saw?” She added then paused as she was carefully lifted up onto the roof.

“So you’re saying we can see what happened if we hack into the colony systems?” Kirana asked while checking the power box for any kind of traps.

“Yes.” Ken said then gasped as Shepard’s fist opened the power box for them. “That… is frightening…” 

“Sorry.” Shepard said looking around while they could see the surrounding area. “I just don’t like this place…” She added then paused, feeling her body tense up as something moved at the corner of her sight.

“Shep?” Kirana asked noticing her sudden stiffness.

“Did either of you… see that?” she asked, levelling her scope and searching the outlying areas of the colony, finding nothing to show anything had been there are all.

“See what?” Ken asked looking around. “Shepard…?”

“Ken get on with that hack,” Kirana ordered while lightly putting a hand on Shepard’s shoulder, “What did you see?” she asked. 

“I… I don’t know…” She said scanning the area over and over, “Something moved under the lose ground…” She added. “Didn’t get a good look, but I saw it…”

“Then we shall keep an eye on the outer edges.” Kirana said opening her comm line. “Commander Greens, do you copy?” 

~~~@~~~

“Very well… I’ll have Jennix scout it out, keep an eye on her and make sure Ken is safe.” Greens stated.

~“Yes Commander.”~

“Jennix, take a party and scout the outer edges, of this place keep comms hot and don’t do anything stupid.” Greens said and Jennix nodded, taking a party of nine others with him.

“Something wrong Commander?” Toombs asked. 

“Shepard saw something moving on the edges of the colony, couldn’t tell what it was but that’s enough for me to want to know what the fuck it was.” Greens explained, “Get the snipers on the roofs, I want this place covered on all sides.” He added.

“The place is a ghost town Commander.” Toombs scoffed, “There is nothing here.” 

“That is an order Corporal.” Greens snapped. “Or shall I put you on ship watch and have Shepard take your post for the night?”

Toombs growled but saluted and set about his task.

~“Commander Greens, it will take me five hours to get this signal strength to full, Ken’s on the hack to try and find out what happened here.”~ Shepard said over the comms, ~“Something doesn’t feel right sir… this place… the signal… it’s almost...”~

“I know what you’re saying Shepard, but we can’t leave until we know what is going on.” Greens said. “We have to find the Pioneer Team, or at least some sign of what happened here.”

~“I understand sir, but none the less, I don’t think anyone should go anywhere alone… especially when it’s dark.”~ She suggested. 

“Suggestion noted and filed, we double up when the sun sets, keep the lights on full and do what we can.”

~“Yes sir, thank you sir.”~

~~~@~~~

“Doctor, it looks like someone else has arrived.” Someone said to him as he read over his already extensive data. “Alliance Troops. Fifty of them.” they explained. 

“Let the two younger Maws stay out for the time being and have the cameras recording, this may prove to be more of a challenge for them.” he stated with a smile as he leant back in his chair. “Prepare the hammers to attract the Maws once the night is over.”

“Yes Doctor.”

~~~@~~~

~“What the hell are you even looking for out there? Flowers?”~ Toombs growled over Jennix’s comms, making the other male shake his head. ~“She’s just got bad eyes.”~ 

“Damn you really have to be desperate to dis the Shep’s eyes.” He said, “She’s got the best eyes I think, beautiful blue, not bright like Officer Ken’s but God they are beautiful.” He repeated. “And her sights perfect 20 – 20 I’ll have you know. I asked the doc if she had any enhancements when I noticed how nice her eyes were and he cleared it, she’s born with ‘em.”

“Don’t you have anything better to do that bad talk the Lady?” another solider asked over the comms, “I mean sure, she has a few oddities, but she’s earned her rank. Just like she’s earned everything else. Even the Kirana family is thinking about adopting her.” 

~“You’re shitting me? Jade and Marie as siblings, hot damn! I’d pay for that kinda show.”~ Another officer stated.

~“Amen brother and that ass on Shepard, Mmmm, I’d die for that kinda figure on my girl.”~

~“You boys do know I can hear every word of this right?”~ The Lieutenant asked with a seductive chuckle. ~“Though I would love Shepard as my sister, then no one could take her away from me,”~

Jennix chuckled. “You’d have to share her with your lover, or are you planning on twisting her arm so she won’t have Shepard either?” he asked.

~“I haven’t decided on that yet.”~ Kirana admitted. ~“How’s it looking down there?”~

“So far, nothing here… just lots of dirt…” Jennix admitted, “And a whole lot of nothing else.” He added. “Ken’s almost done with the Hack?” he asked hearing a triumphant cheer.

~“Yes, we’ll let you know what she gets when we know ourselves.”~ Kirana said before the comm link went quiet.

Jennix nodded and waved his party back, “Back to camp, double time it,” he added noticing the sky darkening.

Once back to camp, Jennix watched Ken trying to clear up a few of the images they were getting as she worked. “Almost got it...” she said while rapidly typing a few more stokes before the screen began to move with the hacked images.

“Looks like everyone was ok…” Jennix said watching as the Pioneering team went about their day to day tasks, finishing works and eating, then the images crackled and fizzed and showed someone running away from the colony to the lose ground, only to be grabbed by something underneath the ground.

“What the fuck?” Toombs asked.

“Any other footage?” Greens asked and Ken searched over everything she had gathered.

More images, still shots and small snippets of sound. “This is all I can get Sir.” She said thought she was already trying to find more of anything that could tell them what had happened.

“There, two in on the left.” Kirana said noticing the image seemed to be showing a better view of what had attacked the colony.

“What is that?” Ken asked opening the image, the worms were coming up out of the ground, with wide front facing mouths that opened wide as they attacked the colonists, swallowing them whole and knocking chunks of the colony into rubble, another clip this one with sound, had people running scared, screaming and yelling as the worms raced through the colony streets, snatching humans up and swallowing them whole and crushing areas that looked cleanly set up now.

Bullets and shots bouncing off the worm’s body, leaving no damage and seeming only to make the worm more aware of where the humans were, until some shots hit the underbelly and the worm reared with a pain sounded cry, only for a second monsters worm attacked and killed the humans that had injured the first.

“Fucking hell.” Kirana said, lightly holding Ken close to her, shielding her from the gory images as the other woman began to go very pale. “Hold it in baby girl.” She said softly. “Hold it in.” 

“They didn’t have time to get out… it was slaughter…” Ken said shaking as she clung to the older woman.

“They had no idea what to do… and no real security…” Jennix said looking around. “The place looks like clean because of the repair proto-call.” He realized. “Commander…”

“It happened at night.” Shepard noted then looked up. “Shit.” She cursed realized the sky had become near black with the few streams of light above them hardly enough to see anything.

“I want weapons hot, locked and loaded, everyone stay alert.” Greens ordered out, hearing the echoing clicks and claps of ammo being loaded and safety switches being taken off, watching as Shepard scanned the area.

“How do we know when they’re coming?” Jennix asked lining his scope with the edge of the colony.

“The ground shifts.” Ken said, snatching up her data pad, tightly clutching her weapon. “Watch the ground!”

“Sir! Movement on the East, twenty meters!” Kirana yelled and Greens turned in time to see the ground shaking and moving as something travelled towards then at high speed.

“To the West too Sir, fifteen meters!” Jennix yelled.

“North side too!” Ken noted in fear as she backed herself against Kirana.

“Shit they are everywhere!” Toombs yelled.

“Steady!!” Greens yelled over the comms over the panicked voices. “When they break surface break off into groups and shoot the under bellies! Don’t stop moving and don’t leave your groups!”

“Aye Sir!”

Two giant worms reared from the ground, monstrous giants that seemed to zero in on them as they opened their mouths wide, four mandible like joints twisting wide open to show a long tongue like structure before they dived at the humans beneath them, breaking the stone and concrete of the colony without pause or hindrance as they gave chase to them.

The screams moments later made Greens stomach sink, every scream or shout of pain told him they were in WAY over their heads now and if he didn’t come up with a plan sharpish, he would lose more of the team. 

“Duck and cover, constant movement!” Kirana yelled from somewhere to his right and then more shots being fired.

Shepard pulled Ken into the building before the worm could snatch her. Pushing her forwards as she and Kirana unloaded a few rounds before darting to new cover, just avoiding being crushed by the second worm.

“Any idea what these things are?” Kirana asked her as the hunkered down in their small shelter.

“Not a fucking clue. Never encountered them before.” Shepard explained, scanning the area as they rested a moment or two, hearing screams of their fellow crew members as they had seen not an hour ago.

~“Sound off! Any one on the North side?”~ Greens asked over the comms.

“Kirana, Shepard and Ken Sir, I lost sight of Jennix and Toombs.” Kirana answered.

~“Still here just stuck, Toombs took a team of three others to the east.”~ Jennix assured. ~“I have Glen, Finn and Markson with me.”~

~“What the fuck do we do Commander?”~ Toombs demanded over the comm, making Shepard wince as the sound of screaming could be heard. ~“these bastards spit acid!”~ 

“Shit…” Kirana hissed pulling Ken away from the window as a huge shadow fell into the room. “Shepard!”

Shepard ducked out of view, listening to the worm move just outside their shelter and then attack when another group opened fire on it, their screams echoing around the colony until they were abruptly cut off.

~“Fuck! That was Karson!”~ Jennix cursed.

“Kirana what are you doing?” Ken asked as the Biotic reached her hand out slowly and then grabbed something as she ducked back. “Kirana?”

“Dog tags.” Was all Kirana said before they raced away to new cover, only to be confronted by one of the two worms that charged down on them, mouth wide and ready to swallow them before they could move, Ken screamed as Shepard began to unload bullets at the open mouth.

The worm was suddenly thrown away from them, hit by a large blue light that slammed into its mouth at the last second when Kirana used her Biotic strength to hit the giant worm away, leaving her weak and tired. “Shit…” she cursed dropping to her knees, struggling to breath for a moment.

Shepard grabbed the Lieutenant by her waist and pulled her into cover with Ken seconds behind her while they rested. “Kirana?! Kirana talk to me! Jade!” she pleaded shaking the woman’s shoulders. “God damn it answer me!” 

“Damn it… Shouldn’t have done that…” Kirana said wiping the blood from under her nose. “Shit…”

~“Everyone get down!”~ Jennix yelled and a sudden loud whistle cut through the air the ground shaking and rocking throwing dust and rubble everywhere. ~“Take that you son of a bitch!!!!!!”~

“The fuck?!” Ken demanded then screamed as rubble began to fall around her, only to be yanked towards Shepard as she put herself over them acting as a shield.

~“Jennix! What the fuck are you doing?!”~ Greens yelled over the comms. ~“There are friendlies down there!!”~

~“Rockets do more damage!”~ Toombs yelled, ~“One of the fuckers is down!”~

~“Sound off!”~ Greens yelled.

Shepard listened and growled, of the fifty of them that had landed only a handful were left and not everyone sounded 100%. “Fuck…” She cursed then looked up as things suddenly went silent.

~“Where the fuck is everyone!?”~ Toombs snarled.

~“They’re dead you ass hole!”~ Jennix snapped, the anger in his voice echoed by others.

~“That’s enough! We don’t have time to bitch about stupid comments! Every one regroup with Jennix! NOW!”~ Greens yelled.

Shepard lifted Jade up at the waist and nodded to Ken, “When I say, we run you don’t stop, you don’t look back, you go, understand?” 

“Yes Shepard.” Ken said shaking violently but standing ready to run despite her fear and the tears in her eyes. 

“Good girl.” She said looking out of their hide out, spotting Jennix on the roof across from them, down the ruined street and to the left about seventy yards. “Go!”

~~~@~~~

~“These Marians seem more able than the colonists, Doctor.”~ The VI stated to him. ~“One of the Maws is dead and the second is starting to tire.”~

“Hmmm, yes this is unexpected.” He stated. “If any of them survive we shall recover them and carry out second stage testing.” He ordered as he looked over his reports and data.

~“Yes Doctor.”~ It said and then went quiet.

~“Sir… what shall we do now that the male Maw has been brought down and the female is badly injured.”~ His assistant informed him over the comms.

“Release the larger female we found here,” he stated after a while. “She will insure that they do not leave Akuze and insure that out research remains on track.”

~“Bit sir… she will kill the other Maws in her territory.”~ The assistant said in worry. ~“And it may not be so easy to control her.”~

“We shall deal with that later, now do as I say.” He ordered. “Or I will have you thrown out for her first meal.” 

~“…Yes sir.”~ She said.

~“Doctor Wayne, there is contact from the Illusive Man.”~ The VI’s voice called over the comm link again. ~“He does not sound pleased.”~

“Patch it through.” He stated, taking a seat at his desk.

~“Yes Doctor.”~ The voice said as it cut off and the room darkened.

~~~@~~~

Ken leant heavily against Shepard as she sobbed as several of her fellow communication officers and close friends’ tags were found in the rubble and their acid ruined bodies laid in the mess that was once the colony, small robots already working to try and repair it and clean away the mess so the colony looked brand new.

“How did we not know about these things?!” Jennix demanded, “Akuze was meant to be free of fucking Aliens! The intel was from the Brass!” he growled while pacing back and forth.

“Someone fucked up on Intel.” Kirana said as she thread the dog tags she had managed to collect from the rubble on a chain length, “That or these things just weren’t here on the checks… dormant somewhere deep down… brought out when the works started to shake the ground.”

“What do we do now Greens?” Shepard asked, gently rubbing Ken’s shoulders as the younger girl clung to her. “We go on the soft ground again and that thing will catch us.”

“The landing zone is a no go… but if we are quick we could make it to more solid ground.” Greens suggested. “We would need more rockets.” He added looking at the modified Rocket launcher as Toombs counted up ammo and guns that could be used.

“Not good commander… nothing here can be used to do any real damage and we only got six rockets left, including the one in the launcher.” Toombs stated before freezing. “Shit there it is!” he warned snatching the rocket launcher from Jennix.

“Wait!” Kirana said blocking Toombs shot, “It’s not coming to us…” she said watching the worm coil and seem to drag the already dead worm underground, ripping the dead worm as if it was a free meal.

“It’s eating the dead one…” Jennix stated in degust, Shepard released Ken but stayed close as the other woman went from sobbing to throwing up over the side of the building.

“Cannibalistic and constantly looking for food…” Kirana said, “Fuck. We’ve been sent up shit creek without a fucking paddle this time…” she cursed running a hand over her face. 

“It should be busy with that dead one for a while.” Greens said, scanning the area and then nodding. “Ok, here’s the plan. Grab what you can carry, stay together and we move as a single group to those boulders, that should give us a stable place to rest until we have a better signal to call for help and get a better view of the landing zone.”

“Yes sir.”

Shepard heaved a large box of ammo open and started handing out clips, tossing the interchangeable rounds to those with compatible guns while Kirana injected herself with several stims as boosters gaining a light blue glow to her arms and torso, Jennix made a make shift harness for the remaining rockets while Ken backed up the files she had and made several hard copies via sending them to all the high ranking officers around her.

“Stay close to Shepard and Kirana, Ken.” Greens commanded receiving his copy. “You’re safe with them.”

“Yes sir.”

“Everyone ready?” Greens asked and after a few moments to give everyone time to get to their feet. “Move out!” They moved as fast as their feet would carry them, vaulting and skidding under the rubble as they ran, only stopping when something behind them rushed into the Colony. 

“The Fuck?” Jennix asked as they turned to see what had just happened.

Behind them the colony had been crushed under the wider body of another giant worm, this one with a darker body, wider mouth and clearly more aggressive nature as it slammed into the still living worm and began to coil and twist itself around the other, ripping its flesh from bone while roaring in what could only be anger.

“Shit that one’s bigger than the last two!!” Toombs bellowed.

“Keep running!!” Greens bellowed, noticing the larger worm was focused on the first two for the time giving them precious time to run. 

Toombs suddenly screamed out from behind as the ground beneath them cracked and shattered throwing them all to the ground like rag dolls as the bigger worm grabbed a mouthful of soldiers as it rose up, unaffected by the shots bouncing off its skin.

“Fucker!!” Jennix screamed firing two rockets before taking off running for a better shot, only to duck as the worm spat acid from its jaws, also releasing large chunks of the other worm.

Ken screamed as she hit the ground, pinned by a torn off chuck of flesh, struggling to get herself free as the smell of blood and burning flesh assaulted the air. “My Legs! My Legs!” she screamed as the heavy weight of the acid socked skin lay on her, pinning her to the ground.

“Ken!” Shepard called grabbing Ken’s arms as the huge worm came up again and this time aiming to come after Ken and herself, “I got you!” 

“Shepard get out of there!” Kirana yelled.

“Move Shepard!” Greens yelled.

“Go Shepard… there’s no time!” Ken sobbed, seeing the ground crack under her. “Go!!!”

“I am not leaving you out here!” she said trying to pull Ken free and to safety. “I am not letting you die on my watch!”

“You didn’t,” Ken said, pushing something into Shepard’s hand before shoving her back, seconds before the larger open jaws of the worm rose up, taking Ken and the flesh whole, throwing Shepard back into Kirana.

“JENNIE!!!”

“Mother Fucker!!!” Jennix yelled as another rocket was fired, striking the worm in the face and forcing it away and then back under ground.

Shepard forced herself to stand clutching the pink bow necklace in her hand, feeling Kirana put a hand on her shoulder. “There was nothing you could do.” The lieutenant said grimly then led her towards the commander.

“Fuck… It’s gone under… I can’t find it!” Jennix yelled.

“Get up here!” Greens yelled helping Shepard and Kirana onto a solid bolder, sending them along a broken but clear path of boulders and solid rocks. “Hurry!”

Jennix nodded and raced over, throwing the launcher ahead of him as he climbed up, heading to an enclosed area away from the worm and the colony.

~~~@~~~

“Doctor Wayne. The Alliance soldiers have almost been whipped out. All save four are reported dead.” His assistant said. “They are heading up over the rockier grounds, but it seems the female is more focused on eating the two intruding Maws in her territory.”

“Continue to monitor them, they will have no choice but to go back on to the soft ground to reach the landing zone.” He stated. “And record everything the female Maw does after she had finished her meal.” 

“Yes Doc- oh…” She paused zooming into the colony. “Five survivors. One of them is back at the colony.” She corrected as the images zoomed in on one male Marine, bleeding heavily from the left and right legs and also trying to quickly shed armour as acid ate away at it.

“Send a team to retrieve that one. He will do as a new subject.” The Doctor smiled. “Do try and do it without being seen.” He added.

“Yes doctor.”


	3. The Last One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yea... Hell is lose and now the devil itself seems to be upon them...

Fingers danced over a key pad while he tried and tried again to find any signal on Akuze. 

Nothing.

Not a blip, bar or beep… 

It had been just short of 20 hours since he’d receive word from Greens that they had set down on Akuze and since then nothing. No regular comm checks, no comm chatter… 

Nothing.

“Something is wrong.” He said, turning to his left and typing rapidly. “General Corinthus, do you copy?” he asked as the vid comm fizzed into life.

~“Captain Anderson, am I to assume Commander Greens is on his way?”~ Corinthus asked.

“No… that is why I am calling, have you had any contact with him or his crew at all in the last twenty hours?” he asked. “I have heard nothing from any of the crew from Akuze, I want to make sure-.” 

~“Akuze?”~ Corinthus stated mandibles going wide. ~“Where on Akuze is the colony?”~ He asked sounding strangely unsettled suddenly.

“Why what is the matter?” Anderson asked 

~“Several of our scouting parties have been receive distress calls from colonies beyond your boundaries,”~ the Turian explained, ~“They reported Thresher Maw activity.”~

“Thresher what?” he asked.

~“Thresher Maws, think of the animal your kind calls a worm and then increase its size to giant and give it a mouth full of teeth and the attitude of a Krogan on a bad day with the ability to spit acid.”~ Corinthus explained, ~“If Greens has encountered a maw he will need more than your fleet can offer.”~

“We have had no contact with him since he left for Akuze.” Anderson stated, an unspoken plea for help in his voice now he knew something bad was likely happening but also knowing he couldn’t risk going down there himself and getting more people killed or worse.

Corinthus nodded. ~“We shall be there shortly.”~ He said before cutting the line.

Anderson took a deep breath and looked at his star map, sending a quiet pray that help would arrive in time.

~~~@~~~

Kirana carefully added Jennie Ken’s bow to the tags on her chain, lightly kissing them before tucking them back into her armour, Jennix scanning the soft ground around them for movement of any kind while Shepard and Greens tried to get high enough to get some kind of signal.

It wasn’t working.

Eventually they gave up and sat tending their sore bodies with medi-gel and stims, trying to formulate a plan to get out of this shit hole alive and in one piece.

“Commander… it looks like the big one is staying near the colony Sir, seems it’s attracted by the movement on the ground.” Jennix explained, “Think if we went one by one we could get past it?”

“No, it knew we were running when it attacked the other one.” Greens said. “All we can do is try to get around it. Somehow…” he added.

“How sir? There is no way we can jump the gaps and I can’t lift all of you across on so few stims,” Kirana said.

“Never thought I would be upset hearing that,” Jennix admitted, “I always thought that telekinesis ability you have was limited to small items.” He added.

“I wish it was…” Kirana said. “Usually I can lift heavy things… but after this... not gonna happen.” She sighed in defeat. “We’re fucked.”

“Not yet.” Shepard stated from where she was stood a little ways above them. “Get up here and look.” She said.

“What is it Shepard?” Greens asked climbing up and looking down at what was in the valley below them, spotting what Shepard had seen.

A slanted, jagged pathway dangerous and unsteady, but it looked to take them all the way back around past the colony and closer to the landing zone.

“It’s risky, but if we just sit here, any rescue will just get slaughtered by that thing.” Shepard said. “Thin you can make it?” She asked looking at Kirana.

“I can try.” She said, following Shepard down and on to the first part of the path way.

“If we live through this, remind me to book a very log vacation.” Jennix said.

“We are all going on vacation when this is over. Somewhere warm, with nice drinks and no fucking alien worms.” Greens offered.

“Sounds lovely.” Kirana smiled.

And so they went, inch by inch, stopping to work out the safest ways over their path without going to ground level, checking on the roaring worm every now and then and seeing parts of the colony being rebuilt to perfection…

It would seem that this place was the perfect place to commit a mass murder and get away with it.

~~~@~~~

“Doctor…” his assistant began with a worried tone as they watched the last four soldiers move along like mountaineers across the natural path way.

“Activate the underground hammers in that area,” he ordered, “They must not reach the landing zone.”

“Yes sir.”

~~~@~~~

“How could no one have known about these things commander?” Kirana asked. “It’s too big to be easily missed.”

“I don’t know Lieutenant, but when I find out I am going to shoot the bastards that didn’t tell us about them sooner for this… we lost too many good soldiers today… too many friends.” Greens said. 

“Aye sir.” Shepard said then stopped. “Anyone else hear that?”

“Hear what?” Jennix asked listened and hearing nothing.

“It’s not roaring anymore.” Shepard said looking over their path way and quickly ducking down, “Shit move!” 

“It’s coming this way?!” Jennix asked then yelped as the rocks around them rattled and violently shook with force as if something had rammed them. “Fuck!”

“Ah!” Kirana yelled losing her grip and slipping slightly before Greens grabbed her and heaved her back up, only to have to hold her there as her leg hung broken at the knee. “Shit…”

“Keep moving!” Greens ordered, helping Kirana as much as he could while Jennix and Shepard acted as warnings when the worm was about to ram them again until they reached the end of the natural path way.

“Shit… now what?!” Jennix growled watching the worn coil and twists under the soft ground, searching for them.

“How many rockets we got?” Greens asked.

“Three.” Jennix said.

“Aim at the rocks due north of the landing zone, One shot.” He said. “When this thing moves to investigate, we run for the landing zone.”

“But sir, Kirana won’t make that run on her own.” Shepard stated, helping the older woman to her feet and letting her lean on her for support.

“Shepard…”

“I won’t leave you here.” Shepard snapped before Kirana could finish. “I am not losing anymore friends today.” 

“Stubborn bitch,” Kirana chuckled lightly, leaning heavily on her. “I’ll slow you down.”

“Don’t care.” Shepard said, “You aren’t dying here.”

“Ready?” Jennix asked already aiming the rocket ready to fire.

“We’re ready.” Shepard assured holding Kirana against her side, ready to carry her when they ran. 

The second the first rock hit the ground, Greens gave the command, the four moving with sheer need to stay alive and get out of this mess.

“Shit… fuck!” Kirana cursed as her leg screamed in pain as Shepard carried her, partly dragging her over the hard ground as she lost step and Shepard continued to carry her across the soft ground.

“It’s coming this way!” Jennix yelled in warning.

“Keep going!” Greens yelled, reaching back helping Shepard carry Kirana. “We’re almost there!”

“Leave me!” Kirana pleaded.

“Not happening!” Shepard said as the three heard the worm getting closer, then it moved past them as another rocket hit the soft ground to the east of them. “Jennix!?”

“Go! Go!!” Jennix yelled as he tossed the launcher to the commander as they passed him, leaving him to shoot and blast the ground in all kinds of directions with his smaller weapons buying them time to get closer to the landing zone

Greens tossed the launcher up onto a large rocky ledge, holding Kirana steady while Shepard scrambled up onto the ledge, reaching back down and grabbing Kirana under her arms and heaving her up, ignoring the pain in her body as she strained her already beaten body.

“Climb higher!” Greens yelled up to them as Shepard shoulders the launcher and half dragged Kirana to a safer place. “Jennix come on!” Greens yelled, “Jennix!!!”

Jennix turned on a heel and ran shooting until he was out of ammo and then throwing the empty guns as far as he could to try and buy time. “Fuck!” 

“Come on lad!” Greens bellowed, reaching his arm out, “Double time!”

“It’s gone under him…” Kirana realized as she and Shepard paused on a more stable area of the rocks. 

“Come on, come on…” Shepard pleaded, praying to whatever mighty thing that ruled fate was listening. “Run Jennix!!!” 

Just as Jennix reached the Commander, the ground under him burst up wards and took Jennix with it before it dove under again, hiding from the now tumbling boulders.

Shepard pushed Kirana into the rocky face behind them, wincing as several boulders and rocks hit her. “Fuck!”

After what felt like an eternity, the two felt safe enough to breath, softly looking around. 

“Commander?” Kirana asked out over the comms “Commander Greens?” 

~“Ohhhhh…”~ the deep groan responded. ~“Shit… I can’t feel my legs… can’t feel anything below my hips…”~

“Fuck…” Shepard cursed looking everywhere. “I can’t see him…”

~“I’m buried Shepard… I can hear it coming…”~ Greens said as something glinted in the rocks below them. ~“Kirana… You’re in charge… get out of here… make sure everyone knows what happened…”~ 

“…Yes sir.” Kirana said.

~“Shepard… you listening?”~

“Yes Commander…” Shepard answered over the comms.

~“No matter what anyone says… you deserve the N-7 rank… don’t matter where you come from in life you understand me?”~

“Yes sir…” Shepard said bowing her head. “I understand sir… thank you.”

~“Good lass… Go on now… get out of here…”~ He said before the comm cut off and the boulders began to shift as the worm reared up again, seeming to roar out in mock of their attempts to survive.

~~~@~~~

~“Doctor, they are beyond the range of our cameras.”~ The VI stated, and he gave a board sigh, ~“Scans show that only two of the soldiers remain… they also indicate that a Turian ship has just entered the solar system.”~

“I see… continue scanning, let me know what happens.” He said, looking at the shuttle that had just returned from the colony as others began to pack up around him. “Report.” He stated.

“He has been given sedative to insure he remembers nothing of transport. Says here his name is Toombs, but beyond that, nothing of great interest, sir.” One of his officers explained. “What do you want with him?”

“Oh I’m sure we can think of something to do with him, but for now, insure he is tended by our medics and see to it he is placed in a comfortable cell ready to leave.”

“Yes Doctor.”

He sighed again and began to pack up his work and reports neatly, he would need to find a better place to continue his work, but to do that he would need to move quickly. 

~~~@~~~

“Captain Anderson, this is General Corinthus, do you copy?” He asked over the comms.

~“I hear you, General, what do you have planned?”~ Anderson answered.

“I’m having a small team prepare to go down with me to the last known coordinates of your comrades, we shall find them, pick them up and bring them up. The Thrasher Maws would likely tear you ship apart if you attempted to invade its nest without the correct weapons.” The Turian General explained.

~“Very well, but be warned, there is something blocking our signals to and fro the planet,”~ Anderson stated. 

“Noted. We shall release an EMP blast planet wide, it should knock out any jammers.” Corinthus said. “I shall contact you when we have your comrades,”

~“Thank you General, God speed.”~

~~~@~~~

“Jade…?” Shepard asked while the Lieutenant injected herself with the last of her stims.

“Should do it…” she said, heavily resting against the other woman, “Oooo... I feel dizzy Marie.” She added while gentle hands wipe the blood from her nose.

“I can’t give you anything for that.” Marie said.

“How about a kiss?” she asked then chuckled. “Kidding… I wouldn’t want to rob you’re future love of that joy.”

“You’re going to be there to meet them Jade.” Marie stated firmly. “You hear me? We’re going to get out of here and you are going to be there to meet my lover… might even let you bring your wife on a double date with us.” She said.

“That’d be nice…” She chuckled. “I won’t live past today Marie… I knew that when I broke my leg…” she said, one hand searching out the other woman’s.

“You’re not dying Jade. I won’t let you.” Shepard said. “I can see the Landing zone from here… we just have to get there…” She assured, “I’ll carry your ass there if I have too but we are both getting off this rock.”

“What makes you so sure you can carry me?” Jade asked.

“I’ve carried your ass to bed when you’ve been too drunk to walk.” Shepard smiled. “I’m going to get you to that Zone.” She added, ignoring the soft ping to her Omni-tool alerting her to a received e-mail until Jade lightly placed the chain of tags over her neck and let her hands linger on her face.

“If I don’t make it… make sure that gets to every head officers in the Alliance…” She said. “It’s from Jennie… before those things got her.” 

“We’re both getting off this rock.” Shepard repeated.

“Ok…Ok Marie. How are we getting to the landing zone?” She asked.

“Easy… we go that way.” Marie said showing Jade the Landing Zone no more than less than seventy feet from them. “And avoid the worm.”

“Where is that fucker anyway?” Jade asked looking around.

“No idea.” Marie admitted, “Last I saw, it was somewhere to the easy of us.” She explained only to freeze as the soft ground between them and the landing zone moved. “Fuck… its right in front of us.”

“Shit…” Jade cursed.

Marie growled and while she wanted to punch the ground in frustration, she thought better of it. “Ok… Plan B?” She offered, looking at Jade for any ideas.

The Lieutenant watched the ground for a while, saying nothing as she thought over everything she could that might help them get out of this mess.

“Plan B…” Jade smiled, “We run like hell, a pray to whatever fucker is watching us that the worm ignores us… don’t question it Shepard,” She added before the younger woman could protest.

“Yes… Kirana.” Marie said, helping Jade to her feet while Jade used the Rocket Launcher to lean on slightly.

“When I say, we run.” Kirana said with a slight wince. “You ready?”

“Not really.” Shepard admitted, though her grip on Jade tightened as the ground began to move.

“3… 2… 1…” Jade counted down slowly then when the ground started to move again this time with more violence. “GO!”

Shepard pushed off from the solid rock under her feet, using her momentum to carry her over the soft ground as it moved and swells like surging water, carrying herself and Lieutenant Kirana over the soft ground.

~~~@~~~

“Sir! We’ve got signal!”

“Lock on and increase speed!”

“Yes Sir! ETA nine minutes!”

~~~@~~~

Shepard screamed as she hit the landing zone’s hard metal surface, pain burning through her back and left arm, hearing the echoing rebound of a rocket exploding behind her and the terrible smell of blood.

“Lieutenant!?” She cried twisting despite her pain and almost chocking on her own breath as she saw her friend. “Jade!”

Her right arm gone, eaten away by acid and charred from the rocket explosion, her legs twisted and bend unnaturally under her and her beautiful face marred with blood and dirt.

Shepard quickly dragged herself towards the downed woman, seeing her hand twitch gave her hope that she could still safe her. “Lieutenant?! Kirana talk to me… Jade please!!” she pleaded taking the other woman’s hand in hers. “Jade…!” 

“Sheps…?” 

“Stay with me Jade… please stay with me… don’t you dare die…” she said tightly holding her hand. “I’m here… it’ll be ok…”

“T... thank you…” Jade stated softly. “Tell my wife… I love her…”

“You can tell her yourself… you hear me…? Stay with me!!” Shepard pleaded pulling herself closer to Jade and holding the other woman close. “Stay with me Jade… please!”

~“This is General Corinthus, can anyone hear me?”~ A voice called over the comms. ~“I repeat, this is General Corinthus-”~

“Corinthus?! Corinthus!! Hurry!! Kirana needs a medic! Now!” Shepard cried over the comms, “We’re at the landing zone!! Please Hurry!!”

~“We’re on our way Shepard!”~

“He’s late… As usual…” Jade chocked while her grip on Marie’s hand began to go slack. “So tired…”

“No… No, no, no, no, no! Jade stay awake! Stay awake Jade you hear me?! Jade!?” Shepard pleaded. “Corinthus where are you!?”

~“ETA two minutes!”~ Corinthus called over the comms as the sound of a shutter approached them. ~“We see you!”~ Marie didn’t answer, she couldn’t find the thought or even desire to speak.

The shuttle landed behind her somewhere, throwing dirt and dust up as it hovered, allowing several fully armour Turians to eject from it, faintly she noticed the giant body of the worm was laying around the landing zone, smoking, charred and very much dead.

“Shepard?” Corinthus asked as he stood behind her, shocked that she was alive despite the injuries.

“She’s threw me… she knew it would kill her and she still threw me…” Shepard said as she saw the blood under Jade’s nose and realization slowly sank in. “Why…?”

“I can’t answer that…” Corinthus said, crouching next to her. “We will take her with us… Can you stand?” he asked.

Shepard shook her head mutely.

She didn’t make a sound as she was carefully lifted and helped into the shuttle, or as the Turian medic set her broken leg in a brace, coating her back and left arm in medi-gel and giving her a dose of pain relief.

She didn’t respond to the comm channel suddenly frizzing out then clearing again with the lingering chatter and static from crew mates she had been laughing and joking with just a day ago.

Now all she had left of any of them, were dog tags, memories and an e-mail containing details for the Brass… She sent that once they were in open space, before the world around her went black.


	4. Suvivor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She got out, they didn't... someone's going to pay for it.

“How is she doing?”

The grey haired doctor looked up as the Turian General asked about her current patient. “Still in deep sleep, but that is normal for Shepard.” She explained, lightly checking the female’s charts. “With all that she has faced, I am amazed she isn’t showing signs of mental stress,” She admitted.

“She isn’t dreaming?” Corinthus asked.

“Shepard rarely dreams,” the medic admitted, “But when she does, the pattern is a simple wave, currently its flat line… most people who face what she has usually have some kind of mental activity.” 

“Could she be repressing it?” A second medic suggested. “I have heard stories of Shepard’s past… Maybe this is something else the streets taught her?”

“Possibly.” The head medic said. “But until she wakes up, we have a duty to tend and mend these broken bones and help her skin heal.”

“What is that she’s holding?” Corinthus asked, indicating to Shepard’s hand.

“Tag chain.” The head medic said. “According to what we found from the recorded images we got from the open channels Lieutenant Kirana was collecting the tags from the fallen soldiers until she died, then she placed the chain around Shepard’s neck. When we removed the armour, the chain came lose but Marie has refused to let it go.” She explained.

“Even if her sleep…”

The head medic nodded then when they were alone she sighed. “She woke up briefly while we removed her armour, took a swing at the armoured officer when he tried to take the tags from her and nearly broke his jaw… from what I can understand of Marie’s medical past and her history of injuries we know of, that is a normal reaction with her.”

“To lash out? But then why isn’t she restrained?” Corinthus asked. 

“Because she won’t attack someone who doesn’t look like a threat to her.” The medic explained. “As I have a medical officer’s uniform on, she didn’t attack me, and instead she listened to my instruction and then settled back down. Since then I have asked all our officers to remain out of armour until Marie is rested, for their own sake.”

“She would attack even if they were unarmed?” the Turian General asked.

“You haven’t been told her past before the Alliance, have you?” the medic asked and he shook his head. “Marie isn’t from what we call, ‘privileged’ life… She was raised on the streets of Earth’s largest city, no parents or family to teach her and from what I have heard and what she has told me, life there was not easy, gangs took in children as runners, scouts and watchers, and the older you got the more the gangs asked of you, especially the girls.” She said looking at the sleeping woman. “She has never told me much of her life between the ages of nine to eighteen when she enlisted, but as a Doctor, I know the signs of abuse and violence.” 

“She was… mistreated?” the Turian asked, trying to be polite without prying.

“I can’t say, as she has never told me of such things, but when a girl of eighteen carries a knife everywhere she goes and is always watching men in armour while keeping one hand on said knife, I wouldn’t say that she was treated like a princess.”

“Brutish.” He said. “And she still does that?” he asked.

“There is a saying we Humans have, ‘You can take the child from the street, but you can never take the street from the child.’ Once you live that life, you can never leave it, the lessons you learn will always stay with you, both good and bad.” She explained. 

“I see…” Corinthus said looking at the sleeping woman in a new light, he had heard some stories of her, but never had the full story and so did not accept the stories of full truth. “What will happen to her now?”

“She will be given time to heal from there it will be up to her.” The doctor explained. “She can either become an N-7 or leave the Military.” She added.

~~~@~~~

Anderson was shouting at someone over the comms, sounded like the Alliance Brass was getting a total thrashing for not only lacking on Intel but also forgetting to mention the GIANT FUCKING WORMS.

~“Captain Anderson, please control yourself!”~ Someone pleaded. ~“We understand that everyone has had an… unsettling and unbearable day, but we must not forget that someone has survived and will need to face many months if not years recovering from this…”~ 

“Madam Kirana, your own daughter was on that planet… she would still be here today if our scans had been more accurate, more details and if someone had taken your advice and spoken to the Turians before we set up the first damn stone!!” Anderson stated, trying to calm his voice as he spoke to the woman as he entered the room quietly. 

The Citadel Council, the Turian Primarch, the Human Heads of Sol and Admiral Hackett stood as holo images as they listened to Anderson’s rant. Each looking gravely unsettled by the report and also unhappy that something so bloody had happened in such a short time.

“Shepard was the only one to survive and from what we have seen so far of the recording it is thanks to your daughter… I cannot tell you any more than that or give any true and solid answers to any of the families that I now have to contact and explain their son, daughter, mother, father, brother and sister will never come home.” Anderson explained.

~“… I see…”~ Madam Kirana said, her face coated in sorrow at the news. ~“We shall conduct our investigations into the intelligence gatherings… but for now… please insure that we have a copy of everything you have…”~

“Yes Madam Kirana.” Anderson said before her image fizzed out. “My report will hold the names, ranks and personal last wishes of the crew mates killed on Akuze, and their duties for the records.” He added looking at the board.

~“General Corinthus, I trust you are here to give your report in person?”~ Primarch Fedorian asked as he stepped forwards. Politely bowing his head to the Councillors and other parties. ~“Your off course, is there a reason for this?”~

“We contacted the Alliance Ship the Ever Free and requested a joint op to test both Turian Military graduates against the new I.C.T program graduates. Several of our officers had heard of the training program and wanted to test themselves against those who had been through the program.” The General explained, “Upon contact, I spoke to Commander Greens and made the offer that both ships settle on natural turf, giving neither side an unfair advantage or disadvantage allowing us to preform our own ops and also partake in a friendly sparring challenge. As it has been nine years since the last challenge was set we are due one.”

~“Between whom?”~ Councillor Sparatus asked.

“No set challengers were made, though the betting pools were asking for a tag team between the Lieutenant Kirana and Officer Shepard against Officer Kilaa and myself.” Corinthus stated, “Greens then contacted us again asking if the challenge could be postponed for a few hours while they checked on a Lost Contact case with a colony, no name given and out of respect to our truce, I did not ask. Shepard offered for us to come and observe their check in but Greens refused it politely and we agreed that if Greens did not contact us within twenty four hours of landing on the colony, we would come to retrieve them.” he continued to explain.

~“And then?”~ Fedorian asked.

“We heard nothing for just over twenty hours until Captain Anderson contact me and mentioned Akuze. I informed him of our own teams and parties encountering Thrasher Maws near that area of space and immediately set course to assist Commander Greens… We were too late to save anyone…” he ended bowing his head, “Somehow the Lieutenant had brought down a large Maw and they had managed to make it to the Landing Zone… however, the only living survivor was Shepard.”

~“You found Shepard at the landing zone?”~ The Asari councillor asked. 

“Yes Ma’am. She was awake when we landed, pleading for medical aid for Lieutenant Kirana.” Corinthus nodded, “We… arrived too late to save the Lieutenant, but were able to safely extract Shepard.” He explained. “According to the human doctor, she will recover, but the time frame of that recovery is dependent on Shepard herself.”

~“If I know anything about Shepard, she’ll pull through this just to get out of the medical bay, the question is what she will do when she is recovered,”~ Hackett said. ~“I doubt she will ask for extra payment.”~

“Sounds like she is on her way here now.” Anderson stated as he and Corinthus heard a very worried voice pleading for someone else to go back to med bay while Shepard ignored her.

“Get the fuck out of my way or I will run you over!” A voice snarled as the doors opened and Shepard, followed by a worried medic, wheeled herself in to the room, covered in bandages and casts as she stopped by the door. “All due respect to those present but; where’s the bastard that gave us the fucked up Intel?”

“Shepard please, you should be resting,” the medical assistant pleaded. “Doctor Chakwas orders where that you rest-”

“I’ll rest after I have personally chewed out the asshole who just got forty nine crew mates killed and gods know how many colonists, now fuck off.” Shepard growled, waving the fussing medic off. “So where is he?” she asked again.

~“Not on the comms,”~ Hackett stated with a slight tone of annoyance at her language, ~“We will let you have a go at him when we find him ourselves. Until then, you are under the doctor’s care.”~

“Admiral Hackett, I just had to watch people I considered friends and family eaten and killed by some Giant worm that somehow wasn’t noticed by ANY of our scans, Scan performed by equipment made by the Salarians and tested by Asari and Turian since before we even knew they were around, scans that YOU told me many times go from surface to core of a world, so I would like to know how the team sent to scan Akuze for and I quote, ‘deadly or dangerous races that are not known in any of the Current races of space’. Missed three fucking giant worms!!” 

~“Lieutenant Commander Marie Jane Shepard!”~ One of the Sol members spoke up, a man in his late forties decorated to the nines with meddles and stars, his face held the look of a farther talking to his child. ~“I know you are out for blood, but please… Calm yourself. We are already searching out the ones responsible for this but you are in no shape to be out of bed.”~ 

“You want me to calm down when innocent people are dead and gone because some stuck up, officer loving, bastard didn’t do their job right? Do I look like some heartless bitch to you Admiral Moore!? Either you tell me who the fuck caused this mess or so help me I’ll hunt him down and slit his throat open myself!” Shepard snarled. “Damn the fucking time I’ll serve for it!”

~“Shepard!”~ Hackett suddenly snapped out. ~“That is enough.”~ He stated and just as Shepard was about to round on him he held up a hand. ~“First, you need to heal, then when you are able to at the very least walk I personally will march the one responsible for this to your door and let you beat them into the next century. I’ll even have the cameras turned off.”~ He said.

Shepard growled, she wanted to say more, fuck she looked ready to rip into the next fool that dared to tell her she couldn’t have the guy.

~“Marie please.”~ Admiral Moore pleaded, softening his tone this time. ~“You need to rest, heal and let your body recover then, you can have the first swing at the one who caused this.”~

“I’d better or I’ll come there and beat your ass myself.” Shepard said before Doctor Chakwas marched in and began to push the wheel chair out of the door. “And don’t you dare let anyone else have his ass before me!” she yelled back before the door closed.

For a moment there was silence in the room, save the slight mutter and grumble from the Sol board until Anderson cleared his throat. “It would seem we need to up Shepard’s sedative dosage again.” He said and Admiral Moore gave a small chuckle.

~“That… was Shepard?”~ The Salarian Councillor asked after picking his jaw up off the floor.

“Yes Councillor.” Anderson said. “And yes, she has only just come out from under sedation for pain. No, she doesn’t always behave with such disregard, but due to what has happened, I can’t say I blame her for such an outburst. I would not want to be the one who she’s likely going to verbally beat down and then physically beat to death.” He added noticing the three were scanning over the reports of injuries Shepard had.

~“By the goddess… she is moving with these injuries?”~ The Asari breathed in shock. ~“How…?”~

~“I have sent you everything we have on Shepard, history and record since joining the Alliance.”~ Hackett said. ~“It is not our place to openly speak about Shepard’s history.”~

~“Very well.”~ And with that the Councillors faded from the comm channel.

~“Captain Anderson I want to be kept informed about her recovery.”~ Hackett said before he also faded out along with the Sol board. 

“I shall leave you to your report. General,” Anderson said politely. “Primarch.” He added before leaving.

~“She… is very bold for a human…”~ The Turian Primarch stated at last and Corinthus couldn’t help but chuckle.

“You should see her on the battle field.” The General said. “I have sent a written report as well and a recorded version of what we have found on Akuze so far, and I shall keep you updated on any new developments.” 

~“Very good, Spirits watch over you.”~ And with that, the Primarch fizzed out of the comms.

~~~@~~~

“Fuck!” 

“Shepard?!” Doctor Chakwas cried turning in her chair to see Shepard on the floor, having fallen when trying to stand. 

“Son of a bitch! Shit that hurt!”

Chakwas sighed. “Shepard please... Your body needs more time to heal.”

“I felt fine enough to stand.” Shepard growled, heaving herself up wither arms, hissing as her legs, heavy with casts and pain slowly found their way under her as she tried to stand again. 

She stood for all of ten seconds before her legs gave out from under her again, only this time there was a wheelchair waiting to catch her before she hit the floor. “Fuck.”

“You will walk again Shepard, but first you need to let the bones heal.” Chakwas said for the umpteenth time. “You just have to wait.”

“It’s been five weeks!” Shepard growled. “I should be at least able to stand on my own!” 

“Calm,” Chakwas said softly while wheeling the younger woman out of the medical bay into the galley. “Come now, it can’t be that bad.”

“I have done more paper work that I thought possible, my logic puzzles are too easy, my raining is on hold and if I sharpen Fang any more than I already have he’ll go brittle.” Shepard said, using a crutch to prod the gathering officers out of her way. “Beep-beep.”

“You still in that cast Shepard?” A voice asked and the crutch very nearly hit the speakers face. “Whao! Easy!” 

“Piss off, fuck off and drown in acid,” Shepard snarled.

“Settle down!” Anderson yelled. “Hendrik leave Shepard alone, Shepard don’t throw medical aid equipment at officers.” 

“He should keep his mouth shut then.” Shepard stated, forcing herself up as she took the tray of food. “So help me if I have to stay in this cast more than two months I’ll go insane!” she added as Chakwas wheeled her away.

It hadn’t been too much of a shock to most really. Shepard hated not being able to do things for herself, her whole life she had learnt to depend on herself and having people around her trying to help her now she was hurt was only making her feel worse and as such, she refused to lay in bed all day doing nothing forcing herself to stand up, ignoring the pains and aches of her still weak body much as she had always done in the streets when her bones had been broken or when she had been hurt and left for dead on the streets.

It was painful and she wouldn’t deny that, but she had pushed through pain before and she was not going to let this stop her. She had been promised a chance at the one who had allowed Akuze to become a slaughter ground. 

She wanted answers and the way to get answers was to get back on her feet and walk. Hackett said she had to at least be able to walk before he let her have a little one on one with the one responsible.

She just had to walk, then she could say she was healing…

“Don’t even think about it.” Chakwas stated from behind her as she readied to stand again. “You’re legs aren’t ready and the more you stress them the longer it will take for them to heal.”

“I have healed fast than this before… why is it taking me so long now?” Shepard growled.

“Maybe because you haven’t been this badly hurt before and you were still growing back then.” Chakwas stated, putting her file down and walking to stand in front of Shepard. “Shepard you suffered no less than twenty broken bones, including fractures and cracks to both your legs. The fact you could walk and run on Akuze shocks me, the fact you haven’t lost all use of the left leg is a miracle and the fact your body didn’t shut down from pain and exhortation until you were five minutes from the ship is beyond me… But the longer you force yourself to try and move before your body is ready the longer you will be here.” 

Shepard groaned. She had known that, but still it annoyed her.

“You will heal Marie.” Chakwas stated lightly putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Just give it time.”

“Yes Doctor Chakwas…” Shepard sighed before the doctor left her to her own thoughts.

She’d let emotions take over before, she shouldn’t have done that, it lead to mistakes, mistakes that could get her into more trouble.

She shouldn’t have shouted at Moore… Hackett and Anderson she could shout at, they had been the ones involved with this, not Moore… not the man who’d given her a home to go too, not the man who had given her support when she’d first joined the Alliance…

She shouldn’t have shouted at him…

She looked at the console nearby and then at Chakwas “Doc… do you have privet lines in here?”

“Second console at the back.” She said. “Privet lines only.” 

“Thanks.” Shepard said and wheeled herself into the back room, shutting the door as she went and then sighed, setting the console up to make the call and lowering the screen so she could be seen by the Camera.

The screen fizzed for a few minutes and then a familiar face came into focus. ~“Shepard?”~

He used her sir name, who could blame him, she’d shouted at him in front of the council and the Sol board.

“I… I called to apologize.” She said, no point delaying anything. “For shouting at you before.”

~“Shouting…?”~ He asked then realization dawned on his face. ~“Oh you mean in the mission debrief.”~ He said and she nodded, keeping her head down and so didn’t see him smile. ~“why are you apologizing?”~

“Because it wasn’t your fault… I shouldn’t have shouted at you or behaved like that in front of the Board… or the council…” She said.

~“You had just reason to be angry Marie,”~ she looked up at that, he was using her first name, so he wasn’t angry at her. ~“Heck, I’d have likely shouted even more that you did, likely until the Krogan could hear me on their home word.”~ He added. ~“And I would have sworn more.”~

That made her smile a little. “Still… I shouldn’t have shouted at you… not after everything you’ve done for me.” 

~“You think any of that would change just because you yelled at me? Marie I wouldn’t be a very good guardian to you if I threw you out of the house every time you yelled at me, and in all the years I have known you, you have never shouted at me until now.”~ He reminded.

“But-”

~“No buts, Marie.”~ He said, a smile falling on his lips. ~“Now you listen to me. You will heal from this, you’ll get back on your feet and then when you can stand and walk again, I will have Hackett and Anderson bring you to earth and let you have all the time you need with the bastard that got our people killed.”~

“Yes Sir.” 

~“Good lass.”~

~“Has anyone ever told you that you are like a parent and child?”~ A voice asked and Shepard nearly went red faced.

That was the Asari Councillor and where there was one, there was always the other two.

“You could have mentioned you were in a talk with the Councillors, Moore.” She said, knowing she was now red faced and it would show.

~“I could have, but then you wouldn’t have spoken at all and called back later, or just stayed quiet until I was free.”~ He chuckled carefully typing something and sending it off. ~“Don’t worry about the board, they already have a very angry Madam Kirana to deal with, as for the rest of the fleet who might have seen the outburst, well, they aren’t about to gossip when they know you don’t miss with that pistol of yours.”~ 

“You taught me that.” She reminded, hearing a chuckle.

~“Is that all?”~ Moore asked.

“Well… You could be really nice and send me a shipment of coco?” she said with a shrug. “I ran out before the mission.”

~“I just did.”~ Moore smiled. ~“Heal fast Shepard.”~

“Yes Sir.” She nodded as the screen faded out of focus.


	5. For You From Them

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Healing is slow, getting rid of the anger helps, but doesn't heal all the scars.

Weeks slowly passed for her, to Citadel and being placed in the best of the Alliance hospital facilities was torture, relearning how to stand and walk with help from the doctor and others, hours of continued and pointless therapy to try and pray something of a reaction that was considered normal from her by countless professional doctors in mental trauma. She didn’t respond to them, they reminded her FAR too much of the social workers she hadn’t to duck and dodge as a child. Too noise, too nice and FAR too old for her likings. 

The Therapists always asked about her history, trying to pry out the nasty details of her street life, looking for the things needed to have her discharged, and she refused to let that happen, and so when they came to her, she put up every wall, fence, barrier and mental safety she had ever made to keep them out. It wasn’t the best time of her life, if anything it reminded her too much of the few times someone had turned her and the other children into the services and tried to have them locked in an Orphanage, she’d tried to settle in one once, but it wasn’t nice and so she had run away and oved to a new city where they couldn’t find her.

She refused to answer any questions from the Brass unless they came through Moore, only talking to Hackett and Anderson when they came to visit her and she out right refused to speak with anyone from Intel.

For days now she had been helped to stand and walk, much to her own anger, even as she took a few steps of her own, she had stumbled and then been forced to stay in her chair and helped to move around.

Today however, she was refusing to let Chakwas help her, determined that after three months she could sit up, stand and walk on her own, no chair, no crutches, no medical aids, nothing. Medics and specialists were trying to keep her on the aids, saying she needed them, but she refused them, even threw her crutches out the window Chakwas had ‘left’ open.

She was going to walk on her own and she was not going to be denied that.

Not anymore.

She owed it to those who’d died around her on Akuze.

She owed it to Jade.

“Shepard…?” Chakwas asked but didn’t move as Shepard pushed herself up, and swung her feet over the edge of the bed and slowly rested her feet on the floor of the medical bay.

She paused for a moment, moving slowly while feeling her aching joints regain feeling after her sleep.

Slowly, she got up off the bed, letting her feet take her full weight as she let go of the bed.

She smiled. “Where’s Captain Anderson?” she asked.

Crew mates watched in stunned awe as she walked past them, having to do double takes and rubs their eyes to insure that they were seeing it right and that yes, she was walking!

Many nodded in respect to her, others gave quick salutes, most looked relieves and others unsure of her actions as she made her way to the comms room.

“For the last time Hackett she isn’t even standing yet.” Anderson said then heard the door open and almost fell over himself. “Shepard?!” he gasped in shock as she stood at the door, unaided and free of bandages.

“Reporting for duty.” Shepard stated. “Now where is that bastard that got my friends killed?” She asked.

Hackett smiled over the comms, ~“I will have a dock cleared for you, you should arrive just as he does.”~ He said.

“Good.”

~~~@~~~

The ride to earth was quick, painless and for Shepard, rather dull, docking was far too slow for her likings and then getting cleared to leave the ship seemed to drag forever. Getting to the Alliance H.Q, that was almost torture. 

“Please do not crack your knuckles again.” Chakwas said from her left.

“Would you rather I played with Fang?” She asked.

“You have that thing with you? I searched you twice.” The female Commander driving them stated.

“Streets teach you to hide things really good.” Shepard stated. “Are we there yet?”

“Yes.” Anderson said on her right and opened the door for her.

Since her armour wasn’t ready for her yet, Shepard was dressed in a pair of jeans, frayed at the base of the legs and covered in tears and rips from long term wearing, held up by a make shift belt from her days in the streets and a tight vest top that snuggly hugged her body, under a jacket that had the words ‘Street born and breed’ on the back and over the right breast. 

Her hair was tied back with a lose bobble and hidden under the hood of the jacket.

“Hackett is inside waiting for you… we will wait out here for you.” Anderson said. 

Shepard said nothing and simply headed inside, putting her hands in her pockets as she went.

Hackett was stood by the front desk, and apparently he had already told the guards she was coming, the metal detector didn’t go off as she passed through them, nor did anyone stop her for ID or ask her to remove her hood.

He was keeping his end of their little agreement, silently he lead her deeper into the building, away from the light and welcoming area, into the darker rooms that were guarded at all times, the rooms where interrogations, investigations and less than kind business was done. 

He then stopped outside a door and took a deep breath. “Moore and Steel are still questioning him, but once they are done they will give us the signal to kill the cameras, then I will take you in and from there, everything is off record.”

Shepard nodded, then reached into her vest top and handed him something.

“Fang?” He asked reading the letters on the item, it was wooden, old and smooth from being handled, but one side of wood was cold, slightly shiny and… Metal.

“Keep him safe for me… until I finish with this bastard.” She said. “I’m not a murderer. I won’t let this be an eye for an eye… no matter how much he deserves that.” 

“Very well.” Hackett said, realizing what she had just given him as he went into the room.

Shepard leant heavy against the wall for a moment.

Fang.

Her knife. The knife that saved her life more times that she could remember, the knife she’d made after the gangs started to take away girls and hurt them… it had been her weapon, her safety and her life line. But she had always used it only as a last resort, when her feet wouldn’t run anymore, when her fists wouldn’t punch any more but the boys wouldn’t leave her alone…

Fang was her safety, but he was also the fine line she had promised never to cross.

She wanted to make this bastard pay for what he had done, to give him just a small sample of the pains he had caused those forty nine good members of the crew… She wanted to make him suffer.

But more than that, a small deadly part of her, the part that she had locked away long ago, wanted more… it wanted to kill him. It wanted to drag Fang across his neck, to plunge Fang into his chest and twist, to hack and slash the man into a shadow of his former self.

And she couldn’t let that part of her out. That was the side of her Jade had helped to bury… the side of her that people like Jennie and Jennix helped to keep locked away just by being so kind and welcoming to her…

That part of her was now out of her reach, safe with Hackett, someone she had come to respect and someone she would never attack.

Fang was with him and that meant that she would have to go to Hackett to get Fang back, that meant she couldn’t kill the man, only really, really hurt him, strangulation wasn’t something she would do, too easy in her mind.

Plus, letting him live would give him the endless quilt of knowing he had cost many people their lives for his own laziness.

She heard the door open and followed Hackett again, noticing that two guards were stood outside the door they were going to, both armed with stun guns.

“Are you ready?” Hackett asked.

She nodded.

The door opened and allowed to officers to leave the room, Moore gently put his hand on her shoulder and gently squeezed before leaving her, Hackett allowed Shepard to go inside, shutting the door firmly behind her.

There was a soft click of a key, locking the door.

The Intel operative was a young man maybe just a little older than her, with dull brown eyes and faded black hair, fitting for his slightly tanned skin.

Seeing her he gave a confused look. “What’s going on?” 

“Name and rank.” She snapped out. 

“Steven Andrews. Intelligence Officer.” He answered.

“Forty nine Alliance officers.” Shepard said. “That’s how many people you’re mistake killed on Akuze that I know of.” 

“Who are you?” he asked standing suddenly, realizing that he was locked in the room with her.

“Me? I’m the one that lived, the one who had to watch and listen as her friends died, as the people I am meant to be protecting were eaten alive, burned by acid and crushed to death by three giant worms,” she said, casually moving the chairs out of her way, stacking them neatly in the corner of the room out of the way of the door, and then moving the table neatly folding it out of the way and resting it neat the chairs. “So tell me, Steven why didn’t you scan the world properly?” She asked, carefully putting a brown envelope on the neatly stacked chairs.

“What is she doing?” Someone asked behind him.

“Making room.” Moore said.

“How far will she go?” 

“As far as she feels needed.” Hackett said. 

“I did scan- Gah!!” Steven staggered hitting the wall hard as a fist slammed into his face. 

“I watched three giant worms kill my crew mates, asshole. I got the scars to prove they fucking spit the acid and I have to live the memories of knowing I, for some god known reason, lived.” She snarled grabbing his collar and heaving him up, slamming him against the wall again. “So you better fucking give me a damn good answer or I’ll break every damn bone in your body and then throw you out of an air lock!”

“You’re on camera!” he cried out.

“Do I look like I give a fuck?” she asked, “Now answer me.”

“I scanned it-.” Another punch, this one harder and with enough force to send his head swimming, closely followed by a foot to the stomach. “Fuck…” he coughed out before more blows rained down on him. 

Hackett kept his hand clenched at his side, watching as the woman he had watched mature from an 18 year old teen too scared to open up and trust anyone to a 23 year old woman who had just lost those few close friends she cared for, deliver blows that would make any bar brawler wince to the intelligence officer, nothing that would kill him, but enough to scar him in places and break some bones.

All the while, she told Steven the names and ranks of her crew mates, the families they had left behind and the painful ways those few she had been with had died. 

“Moore… shouldn’t we stop her?” Hackett asked.

“No. She’ll stop on her own.” Moore assured. “Give her, ten more minutes.”

And true to his words, after no more than ten minutes, Shepard relented, backing away from the crumpled heap that was Steven, bloody and shaking on the floor.

“Last chance, Steven. The truth, or I’ll do to you what I couldn’t do to the worms.” She stated.

“I... I scanned the surface but… only did five feet in… said it was clean… don’t need Turians… to tell me how to do my job…” he managed to say as he lay in the corner. “Told them I found nothing…” he added.

“I lost a lot of friends on Akuze because of you.” Shepard stated. “Do you know how many families I have to face now? Telling them that by some unknown force I can walk away from Akuze with my life and only scars, where their lovers, families and children didn’t? How many lives you could have saved just by doing your job right and not slacking off just because you felt there was nothing deadly on the surface?” she asked.

Steven was quiet, it was sinking in now.

“The Turians and Humans might never be on perfect terms because of the First Contact War. But damn the past, they KNEW about those things, one of the most powerful families in the Alliance TOLD you to go and talk to them. And you chose not to because you thought they would tell you how to do your job? Fool!” She snarled and he flinched, curling tighter.

“I’m sorry!”

“Sorry isn’t going to bring back those you sent to die Steven. Sorry isn’t going to undo the pain they felt, or erase your stupidity… because of you, a baby isn’t going to know his father, a wife has lost her other half, a father has lost his only remaining daughter and the Alliances has lost forty nine good men and woman.” She snarled out in angry, before taking a breath and going to the chair, opening the envelope and taking the contents out. “Because you were lazy.” 

Steven dared to open his eyes as he felt something hitting his face, wishing his hadn’t and profile photos fell around him, each one of the crew members he could only guess were the people his mistake had killed.

“Take a good look, ass hole, because of you, they are dead. And She.” Shepard said holding the image of Jennie Ken in front of him, “Was the youngest.” That said, she let the image fall in front of him and stood going to the door.

Steven’s sobs and continued apologies gave her no joy as she left the hall way, taking the knife from Hackett as she passed him at the door.

~~~@~~~

He found her sat in a known hide out for people trying to get lost, one hand holding a half empty bottle, the other under her head as she rested on the table.

He sat with her quietly and waited.

“Since when did you drink, Moore?” She asked eventually, a slush to her voice as she spoke.

“I don’t unless I am with friends.” He answered, lightly tugging the glass bottle from her hand and putting it down with the rest of the empties. “Since when did you drink alone?”

“Since no one else is here to drink with.” She answered, then made a sound between a sob and a laugh. “How fucked up am I? Making jokes about the people who died…? Why did I make it Moore…? Why did I get through it…? Fuck… I don’t even want to know… too much therapy to go for if I start down that path… fuck… How did things go so fucking wrong?”

“I don’t know Marie.” He admitted. “But I do know that this is not how Jade or Jennie would have wanted you to be.” He added. “And I doubt Greens would be happy to see you here drowning in a bottle of Moon Shine.”

“I know… but damn it all… I watched that thing eat Jennie… took her right out of my arms… I held her Moore… tried to pull her free and get her out… then it took Jennix… crushed the Commander to death… then it took Jade…” she said and he saw her shoulders shaking violently. “I tried to save her… told her we’d both get off… told her to stay awake… begged her…”

Gentle hands rested on her back and shoulder, the silent comfort she hadn’t wanted to accept before and it was enough, the grief, the pain, the unspoken anger, it all flooded out in silent tears as she cried into her arms, to anyone who saw them, she was just a drunk woman sobbing over a mid-life crisis, or a rejection of a lover and he was a friend, there to comfort her and take her home when she was done.

This was the first time she’d let herself cry, he knew that much. This was the side of her she wouldn’t let strangers see when sober, the side of her she kept locked up and away from prying therapists and doctors, the side of her that only those she trusted with her life got to see, however rare.

He didn’t press her to talk, just let her cry herself out until eventually there were no more tears to cry and all she could do was make soft hiccupping sounds. “What’s gonna happen now?” She asked eventually.

“That is down to you,” he said, “You can stay on leave for a time, until you are ready to come back, or you can go back into the fleet and be assigned a new post…. Either way, you have a new rank and title.” 

“Oh?” She asked, at last lifting her head to look at him, face tear stained and red and her eyes glazed her head then hit her arms with a light ‘thud’. Moments later, she was sleeping and he carefully heaved her up and walked her to the waiting cab and took her to the temporary apartments they were staying at.

~~~@~~~

Waking up was painful.

Everything was too bright… painfully bright against her eyes and so she tried to roll away from the light…

And fell out of bed. “Ow… Ohhhh fuck… my head…” she groaned, holding her head as the room span somewhat. “Ohhhhh… shit… I drank too much…”

“Good morning to you too Shepard.” Moore called from the door way as he brought in a fresh pint of water and a pill. “Morning water and a head ache pill for you.” He managed to say before she snatched the pill and the pint downing the whole pint easily.

“Thank you… why are you in my apartment?” She asked before realizing she had slept in her clothes that night.

“Because you got drunk last night and so I brought you home, stayed around to keep you company and give you a full news update, the sofa is quite comfortable.” He explained.

“Thank you.” Shepard smiled. “I wasn’t very smart was I…?”

“No one would blame you.” He admitted smiling lightly. “Even fewer would be annoyed by your actions. Some might even think it your way of celebrating what I am about to tell you.” He added.

“What do you mean?” She asked as he handed her a data pad. “What’s this?” she asked opening the files on the pad.

“You have been granted your N-7 Rank.” He explained after she had read the first few pages of the pad. “Commander Shepard.” 

“I… I passed the final exam… but… I couldn’t have… I didn’t…”

“You survived and despite the long recovery, the Alliance has looked over your record the recommendations of Commander Greens and Lieutenant Kirana and other officers you have served with in your time… they have all agreed that despite the off record events, you have more than earned the rank of N-7 and more.” Moore explained. “All the details are on that pad… and now, what you do is up to you.” He added.

“What do you mean?” Shepard asked.

“You can stay on extended leave until you are ready to return to the fleet, or return immediately and be posted again.” Moore explained watching as she read through the deeper contents of the pad, finding the letters and messages from her friends that supported her new rank.

“When did… when did they rank me?” She asked.

“Last night, at about 00:00 hours.” He said. “The choice is yours Shepard… but know that no matter what path you take, you will always be welcome on any ship in the Alliance Fleet.” 

“… Thank you Admiral…”

Moore nodded and then politely let himself out of the apartment.

Shepard just sat there, reading over the words her friends had sent about her, details about the time she had served with other crews and the way she reacted to different things… 

So many kind words…

“A loyal friend.”  
“A kind soul.”  
“Odd, but dependable.”  
“Truthful, fair, trustworthy.”  
“Honest. Natural leader.”  
“A friend who isn’t afraid to help you, no matter how deep in it you are.”  
“The Pride of the Everfree.”  
“Worth more than any rich kid”

She read them over and over, trying to take it all in until she noticed a small blinking light in the top right hand corner of the pad, alerting her to something waiting to be opened. 

Slowly she opened the file and gasped, covering her mouth as tears rushed to her eyes again as a slide show filled the pad screen, snap shots of Jade, Jennie, Greens, Jennix, all the crew mates she had lost were there. In the crew photo and then signal person photos, some caught in their everyday lives, others posing at work.

Dearest Sheps, 

If you are seeing this, then you have graduated to N-7. Good, I would be so angry with the Brass if they hadn’t let you be an N-7. Since you will be going off on new posts now, Jennie of all people was worried you would forget us, so I had this picture taken of the crew and a few images of those of us you were close to here on the Everfree. You know who we all are, even Toombs ugly mug is in here somewhere. 

Remember us always,  
Love and hugs forever.  
Jade Kirana, Jennie Ken and Simon Greens.

Shepard wasn’t seen for the whole day.

~~~@~~~

“Do you think she will come back?” he asked.

“Either way she will be an N-7.” The other man said. “For now, I think it best to let her be, give her time to adjust and think over her options.”

“And if she doesn’t come back?” he asked.

“Then we lose one hell of a solider and a potential Commander.” He stated. “But that is up to her.”

“Very well.” The third said. “Until she is ready to give us her decision, we leave her to herself.”

“Yes sir.” The two said and saluted him before leaving.


	6. Coming back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She wants to come back but uncertainty keeps her from making that last step... Can she ever go back to it?

“Commander Shepard?” some asked as they knocked on her door. “Hello?”

“What is it?” She asked slowly opening the door to show a delivery man stood there. “Yes?”

“Signature please Ma’am.” He said while handing her a pad to sign resting a heavy looking box as he spoke to her.

“Thank you.” She said letting him set the box in her apartment before handing him the pad back as he left.

‘Commander Shepard, inside please find your new armour. Apologise for the long delay,’ a note read and she smiled. “New armour…” She chuckled, using Fang to open the box and lift out the plated armour. “Perfect.”

She set the armour out on her bed, and took a moment to view it, noticing someone had taken her old colours and used them well in the new design, shaping the black, red and purple colours together.

Seeing armour reminded her that it had been just over eight months since her leave began… medical leave on record, still in recovery for what had happened, but really, she missed the feel of armour, she was starting to miss the thrill of space travel and she missed the confines of a ship... She’d had to leave her music player on at night, playing a selection of space sounds from her days at training just to settle.

She missed the fleet but she wasn’t sure if she was ready to go back… she could go to the docks and watch the ships come and go, that might help her figure out what to do, after tugging her jacket tighter around herself she headed out, locking the door as she went and headed to the docks.

She had cried enough tears she knew that, and she knew she had found a stable state of mind again now that the nightmares were almost completely gone, but now and then, she still woke up in a cold sweat, reaching out for the lingering images of her lost crew mates and that was still difficult to let go.

Reaching the docks she showed her ID and waved to a few officers she recognized coming and going from their ships as she headed to the observation platform, watching as shuttles and ships came and went at varying speeds. It helped her think.

Where were they going? What had they seen? Were they all Human crewed or were they multi raced? Was there a rookie going out for the first time into the stars or a Veteran returning from another long flight? Could she have missed something new being found out there?

She noticed a familiar face at the end of the platform and smiled, making her way over to the man.

Anderson sighed as he watched the shuttles come and go around the docks, smiling lightly as one of the larger ships began a slow approach, likely the pilot was still getting use to their ship. Delicate skill and steady hands required for those big ships, Anderson knew how easily they could move from speed to speed and one wrong move or command and the docks would be a danger zone. 

“Someone still in the training seat?” a voice asked beside him suddenly and he smiled as a familiar shadows joined his.

“Looks that way. And that is one very large duty on their hands.” He said. “How are you feeling Shepard?”

“… I’m still trying to find the strength to say I’m ok…” she admitted, “not drinking so much… and the nightmares have stopped coming every night… still get the odd pain from the injuries now and then but besides that… I guess you could say I’m… coping.”

“No rush.” He assured lightly. “It’s a good thing to see you out and about again.” He added.

“Yea… my armour arrived today.” She admitted looking up as a shuttle shot over head. “Thought it was about time I did some real thinking about what to do…” She said smiling as the slow moving star ship headed away.

“And how is this helping?” Anderson asked with a knowing smile.

“Quite well,” she admitted after a short time, “I watched the star ships when I was a child, they were the hobby on the streets, who could count the most in one day and who could name them.” She added. “I was always calmer when I watched the ships.” 

“You miss it?” He asked.

Shepard was silent for a while then nodded. “Never thought I would admit missing the sound of a ship around me… or the life style…”

Anderson chuckled. “I know what you mean.” He admitted. “The days you think you can live without that hum of a ship… then you realize you got so use to it when you were aboard the ship that you can’t sleep without it.”

“Or the sound of the computer softly bleeping when you go on and off shift. Or just go past the console.” She smiled. “I miss it… but…”

“But…?” Anderson pressed lightly.

“But I’m not sure if I’m ready to go back…” She admitted. “I feel like I am… but something keeps… something keeps me unsure.”

Anderson gave a sound of understanding, “Sounds like you may need a little help making your mind up.” He said. “And I think I know just how to help you with that.” He added with a smile.

“Oh?” she asked as Anderson nodded and motioned for her to follow him which she did, heading towards the dry docks. “Where are we going?” she asked only to stop dead as she caught sight of something. “Wow…”

There in the dry docks, was a the bare frame work of a ship, a frigate class of some kind, but beyond that, Shepard had no idea what this ship would become, but it appeared already to be either built for speed or stealth. 

“That, Shepard is the future of Stealth Reconnaissance.” Anderson said, “She’s the first of her kind, a proto type being designs by both Turian and Humans while being funded by the Citadel Council.” He explained.

“She looks smaller than the Turian ships I’ve seen before,” Shepard said. “And a lot more attractive than the ships we have.” She added.

“She will take a while to build, but when she’s finished according to the Turians and even our own guys working on her, she will be the most streamlined and beautifully built ship of her age.” Anderson said. “They are going over every detail with the Brass and the Hierarchy to insure that this ship works as smoothly as possible.”

“How long until she’s finished?” Shepard asked.

“No one knows.” Anderson said. “But she’s already been in planning for three years and now she is finally getting built we can only guess she’ll be done in up to five maybe six years.” He explained.

“Wow…” She said watching the people moving around the frame work.

“So… think she’s helped you?” Anderson asked.

Shepard smiled and looked up. “I need to go speak with Hackett.” She said and Anderson chuckled as she strode off towards the Alliance Building. 

~~~@~~~

“I will speak with the Commanders of my fleet and see who can be- Shepard?” Hackett asked in shock as the woman entered his office.

“Is this a bad time?” She asked noticing he was on a comm call with a Turian she faintly remembered, so just to be safe she gave a salute and straightened her back.

“No… nothing that can’t be shared,” Hackett said with a smile, “In fact, it was about a challenge that was coming up.” He explained while waving her closer, “You remember General Victus?”

“General Adrian Victus?” She asked, now she remembered him, he’d been part of the First Contact War and he was known for his cunning tactics and plans on the battle field. 

They had met briefly during her stay at the Villa, he’d been on a mission with his own squad while her mentors were testing her on Weapon tech and maintenance, they hadn’t spoken much, just the friendly hello and small talk while he and his squad stowed their weapons.

~“You have better memory then most humans.”~ The Turian General said with a smirk. ~“Are you well enough to undertake a challenge? Or are you still on medical leave?”~ He asked.

“I came to ask my return to active duty. And if my memory serves me rightly, I own General Corinthus and his crew a challenge.” Shepard smiled, “If he is still open to having his ass handed to him by a woman.” 

“Are you sure you are ready to go back on active duty?” Hackett asked in a knowing tone. “Or do I have to have Chakwas give you another long scan to make sure you aren’t mentally unsteady.”

“My mind is my own and if you dare stated otherwise I will hurt you.” Shepard said, one hand deliberately resting at the back of her left hip.

The General seemed to get the unspoken threat and see the signs of a hidden weapon but made no mention of it out loud. 

“Alright Shepard. It will take me an hour to clear your paper work. You can wait outside until then. I’ll call you in when we have set the challenge rules and then you can go on your way.” Hackett chuckled.

“Good to know.” And with that Shepard left the room again.

~“She openly threatened you and you’re sending her on a challenge against Turians?”~ Victus asked.

“If she weren’t ready to come back into duty, she would have allowed me to bring the good doctor here, Shepard openly threatening her peers and doing it in front of someone who could easily call security shows she is more than ready to get back to the fleet.” He explained. “So, is General Corinthus still open to her challenge?” 

Victus smiled. ~“I shall speak with him and insure he is on the ship when they set off, in the meantime, I look forward to seeing who of your fleet is willing to fight with a Turian in hand to hand.”~ He said as the comm frizzed out.

Hackett smiled and sat at his desk, quickly finding and signing several papers making comm calls and compiling a small file of papers and documents carefully setting them together and at five to the hour, Shepard came back to his office.

“Your signature please.” Hackett said offering her a pen and the file. Shepard took a deep breath and nodded, swiftly dragging the ink over the paper, forming a slightly scruffy but readable ‘M. J. Shepard’ on the dotted line.

“Welcome back to Active duty, N-7 Commander Marie Jane Shepard.” He said standing and saluting her.

“Thank you, Admiral Hackett.” She said saluting back.

~~~@~~~

She got back to her apartment and ignored the car that had been following her the whole way home pulling into park a few houses down, news reports, she hated them but she also knew better than to give them a reason to follow her. News about Akuze had been and still was big in the media eyes, people needed to know the truth of the accident and when it had leaked that she was on earth, her quite times had gone out the window as the reporters hounded her day and night for a month until the point where several Alliance Guards had been called out to take the reporters away under orders of Doctor Chakwas and Admiral Hackett.

It seemed some reporters didn’t get the message.

She locked the door and kept the window shutters down, les chance of pictures being taken as she relaxed.

Until there was a soft knock on her door, timid and without confidence.

Not a reporter.

Curious, Shepard went back to the door and unlocked it, opening it to find a woman stood on her doorstep, dressed in a long black dress, a golden chain around her neck and her long brown hair framing her tear stained face.

“May I help you?” Shepard asked.

“My name is Ruby… Madam Ruby… and I have come to ask you about… I came to ask about your relation with Lieutenant Kirana…” The woman said and Shepard saw a jade ban over her ring finger.

“You’re Jade’s wife…” Shepard said softly and the woman gave her a shocked look almost hurt that she had used Jade’s first name, but she nodded trying to stop the tears that threatened to over flow again.

“I… I have to know the truth.” Ruby said between shallow sobs.

“Come in.” She offered stepping aside.

“Thank you…” The woman stepped inside and let Shepard lead her to the sitting room. “Jade… told me about you in her messages, she told me about your agreement… but when I heard she was gone I thought… I was so foolish and for a time thought that she and you had run off together.” She admitted. “Then Jade’s body came home and I saw the reports and vids… you were with her at the end…”

Shepard knew the under tone she was hearing. Doubt, pain, fear and heart ache. The closeness she had with Jade had been instinct to her, but to Ruby’s heart… it must have seemed odd or even worse, looked like love.

“Madam Ruby… What you are trying to ask me never happened.” She admitted. “Jade and I may have flirted, I don’t believe in taking the hearts of people from their partners,” She added. 

“You… you and she never… you never had sex?” Ruby asked in slight disbelief.

Shepard nodded. “I knew Jade wasn’t into men, she made that clear when she openly told me she had the most wonderful wife waiting for her at home after I asked why she’d just ignored every wolf whistle she’d been given and when she started to spend time around me, I wasn’t use to any of her comments about my looks, or how easily she knew when I needed a drink or when I needed space… I wasn’t use to the idea of someone helping me or showing me any kind of affection.” She admitted. “So Jade made the offer that she would teach me to be more relaxed about affections and the softer side of people and in return she could stay in my room and cuddle when she was lonely and couldn’t get through to you.”

“You never once tried anything?” Ruby asked. “Even when she was in bed with you?”

“Never wanted to,” Shepard explained. “I admit, I cared for her, but only in the way sisters might care for one another.” She said, sighing softly. “Jade taught me it was ok to relax around people… She gave me so much more confidence and trust in people and gave me a friend when no one else would… She saved my life and when she needed my help I couldn’t give her anything, nothing to ease pain, nothing to give her more time…” She went on, clenching her fist. “I let her down.”

Ruby gave another sob, pressing her handkerchief to her eyes trying to regain some control over herself. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have thought such... Such terrible things… I knew Jade needed physical contact… I shouldn’t have doubted her or you…” 

Shepard smiled somewhat, “Do you know what the first thing I noticed about Jade was?” she asked.

Ruby found control again and wiped her eyes shaking her head.

“Her wedding ring,” Shepard smiled. “I knew she had to be a rich woman or at least married to one, you don’t get a wedding ring made of pure gold without spending a pretty penny these days… When she said she was married, that was enough to tell me she was committed to the person who gave her the ring, I was honoured and shocked someone like her would even look twice at me.”

“Why?” Ruby asked.

“I’m a Street Kid.” Shepard said. “Grew up on the streets no parents, no family, learned to survive on my own, joined the fleet at eighteen to get away from it all… that someone like Jade would call me friend and trust me to watch her back when so many others would rather see me dead in a gutter was ice, even better when she started to take me on real missions with her, not just stick me with desk duty or small time runs… she was the one who got me through Ranks N-3 to N-5…”

Ruby sat and listened to her talk, taking in the respect and awe Shepard held for her late wife and felt the fears she’d come with seeping away into understanding and happiness as she felt Shepard’s honesty carefully heal the cracks in her heart and bring back the image Jade had painted of the woman before her in her letters, honest, caring, kind, sweet and carrying the unspoken bourdons of those few people she considered a friend. 

“Madam Ruby… If I could go back in time and change it so everyone came back instead of me, I would gladly do it…” Shepard said after she’d finished her relocations.

“Jade wouldn’t have liked that…” Ruby said. “She had been talking to me about having you as a sister in law…” She admitted reaching into her bag, “This was left to you in her will.” She explained handing her a small box.

Shepard opened the box carefully and went wide eyed as the light shone off a small glass figurine in the shape of a swan. “Oh…”

“May I ask… what that means to you?” Ruby asked.

“When I signed up to the fleet they were accepting recruits near a wild life park… I saw a swan for the first time in my life that day. I had no idea what kind of bird it was back then, never knew what it was until I met Kirana and she had this with her.” Shepard explained, carefully inspecting the delicate figure in its box. “During a fight, someone knocked the table this was sat on over, it would have broken if I hadn’t caught it. She said, ‘one day a little swan will come to me’… I never understood what she meant… until now.”

Madam Ruby smiled. “Thank you, for being honest Shepard.” She said. “If you ever need anything, feel free to contact me,” She added handing Shepard a contact card. “I may not be a confident as Jade was… But if she trusts you with that little swan, then I can at least honour her by helping you anyway I can.” She smiled standing.

“And thank you for this.” Shepard smiled back, “It means a lot to know someone is there… And please call me Marie, Jade only called me Shepard when we had missions.”

“Very well, Marie.” Ruby said as Marie lead her to the door. “And you can call me Amber.” She said before heading to her car.

Shepard smiled and carefully placed the glass swan on the bed side dresser in her room, allowing herself get lost in the reflections on the wall from the glass, her mind relaxing as she recalled the good times she’d spent with the crew of the Ever Free.

The memories she now held closer than any memory before them.

~~~@~~~

“Shepard?”  
“That’s Commander Shepard…”  
“Is she really going with us?”  
“She’s come so far… think she’s going to really beat the Turian General?”  
“She better I have credits on that.”

Shepard hid her smile as she walked through the ship. In three hours they would be on the surface of a natural planet, preparing to take on a Turian squadron formed of their newest, their elites and their finest in a friendly challenge, common place challenges as a means to prove to both races that neither race was perfect and neither was better than the other.

They called it sport.

The Salarians called it petty.

The Krogan called it amusing.

The Asari weren’t interfering with it, though they did make it silently clear that any deaths would be dealt with. Painfully.

“Commander Shepard?”

She paused and back stepped as she heard someone talk to her. “Yes?” She asked.

“I… Would… Would it be rude of me to ask...? What helps you to sleep on a fleet ship?” the young man asked, nervously twiddling his fingers. “I’m not... not really settling very well…” he admitted.

Shepard smiled a little, she’d been back in the fleet just short of a month now traveling with a mix of veterans and rookies heading for the Challenge site and while some had expected her to be on edge, she was calm, stable and settled in very quickly. “How long have you been in the fleet?” she asked.

“Three weeks Ma’am.” He said honestly, then seemed to realize he hadn’t introduced himself, “Corporal Leon Ma’am.”

“Well, Corporal Leon, when you have been in the fleet for as long as I have you get use to the ship and when you leave… you realize just how comforting the ship can be.” She said. “You’ll understand more when you have been here a while.”

“Thank you Commander.” He said with a salute as they parted ways.

Shepard ended up sat in the galley, enjoying a meal while others spoke around her, she enjoyed being here, she could listen to the gossip and details about who was where and who was currently commanding what ship, it helped her feel she had never left the fleet.

“Is this seat taken?” a voice asked as Shepard took a spoonful of her stew, she shook her head and waved for the speaker to sit down while she chewed and swallowed. “Thank you.”

“Do you think that the Turians will play fair?” A voice asked from a few tables away and Shepard glanced back to see who was talking, unsurprised to see a few young men.

“They’ll have too, Hackett wouldn’t allow us to go if they wouldn’t.” another man said. “Besides the First Contact War is over, they have no reason to be underhand.”

“I guess, but still it’s strange that they keep challenging us, I wonder why?”

“Why not ask when we get there.” One of the officers said. “I hear some of their top Generals will be there.” 

Shepard smiled. “Should be fun then,” She said taking another spoonful of her meal.

~~~@~~~

The two ships lowered slowly, docking carefully while readying to refuel and refill on water while their crew readied for the challenge.

“Wow…” someone said seeing the Turian ship. “Talk about sleek designs.”

“It’s a Turian ship, what did you expect?” Shepard asked looking up at the sky. “And judging by that sky, we might just have rain on our hands.” She said.

“Is that good or bad?”

“Its harmless rain here so it just means we’ll get wet during this challenge.”

“Lovely.” Someone groaned. “Paint balls in the rain.”

Shepard chuckled and looked across the docks, watching as several Turian soldiers also scanned the sky, likely they were also aware that rain was coming and it would make the challenge interesting to say the least.

She spotted Corinthus and smirked. “Bring it on.”


	7. Team Challange

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get interesting when paint guns are involved... was going to title this as Corinthus in Hot Pink but that would have just made me giggle.

They were set to begin with a simple ‘conquest’ mission. Both sides had a ‘base’ and they had to plan the best ways to defend their base and also take over the ‘enemy’ base.

To make it harder, the Turians were not allowed to use sub-vocals to relay orders and the Humans couldn’t use text messaging. Both channels of comm would be watched by the Respected Captains and to be fair to the teams, they could only use text or subs when ‘dead’. There were seven members of the defending team and five to the conquest team, one ‘leader’ chosen by those who weren’t part of the challenge.

Shepard was glad she wasn’t a leader, even more pleased when she was told they were using paint ball rounds.

“Ok and what happens when someone gets in the way of the shot?” one of the Turians asked giving a team mate a look.

“If you step out in the line of fire it’s your own fault.” Corinthus said. “Snipers are meant to line up shots on targets, not keep an eye on everyone else.” 

“So Turians get shot in the ass by their own too? Shit I own my girl seventy creds.” One human groaned.

“Told you.” Another human said collecting her credits. “That’s my new dress sorted.”

Shepard chuckled but said nothing, instead she was inspecting her weapons, trying to decide which ones to take with her.

“Hand it over Shepard.” Someone said and she looked over her shoulder with a confused look, spotting his rank and the slicked back hair and the well-spoken tone, newly polished armour and weapons, she inwardly groaned. 

Rich kid and a Staff Lieutenant.

Great.

“Hand what over?” she asked though she already knew what ‘it’ was.

“The knife.” That got everyone’s attention as all eyes focused on them, some searching for the weapon in question, others watching her face for signs of insult or tension. “I know you carry it one you at all times. Hand it over.”

Shepard smirked. “I’ll hand Fang to you,” She said, setting her guns down before turning around to face him. “If, you tell me where he is.”

“What?” the Lieutenant growled going slightly red faced.

“Tell me where you think I’m keeping Fang.” Shepard said, “Since you seem set on the assumption I’m carrying him with me, tell me where he is.” 

“Commander Shepard, is Staff Lieutenant Tallman bothering you?” Captain Luka asked suddenly from his seat at the table with the Turian Captain Xenkhan. 

“He wants me to give him Fang.” She said. “I said I would, if he tells me where I’m hiding Fang.”

“Who is Fang?” one Turian finally asked when no other would. “I thought he asked for a knife?”

“Fang is the name of her knife.” Corporal Leon said, trying to be helpful. “No idea why she named a knife fang, but that’s what she calls it.”

“Him.” Shepard reprimanded lightly.

“Well, Lieutenant, go ahead.” Luka said, “Tell us where Shepard has hidden Fang.”

Shepard liked this Captain, he already knew where Fang was and by the look on the face of the Turian Captain he had worked it out and the slowly forming smirks on the faces of the other Turians, he was letting them know too.

The Lieutenant however was now at a loss for words, having thought the captain would assist him, but he was quickly realizing he was getting no help.

“Did you really think Shepard would be underhand in a challenge against the Turians?” Luka asked when it became clear the Lieutenant had no idea where Fang was. “Shepard, where is Fang?” he asked.

Shepard chuckled and calmly walked right up to Luka, reached into his outer shirt pocket and pulled out the knife in question, “Right where I left him.” 

“When did she…?” Lieutenant Tallman began to ask the quickly shut up as Shepard put the knife back in the captain’s pocket and returned to the weapons locker.

“I gave him Fang before we landed so I know he won’t be stolen from the ship while I am gone and besides, I don’t need him for this.” Shepard said, then leant back so she could see Corinthus better. “We are still having a no holds fist fight right?” She asked. “Or are we using weapons?” 

“As far as I am aware, hand to hand.” The Turian General said, loading multi-coloured paint ball into his weapons.

“Then I don’t need Fang.” And with that said, she stowed her heavy weapons and took her Pistols and a Shot gun, “Are we set?”

“Just a few more things to iron out,” Luka said, carefully putting Fang away in his uniform pocket. “Go do whatever it is you do before a challenge, Shepard and please don’t break that idiot’s jaw for thinking he could show authority on a matter he isn’t permitted to speak about.” He added giving the Lieutenant who’d demanded the knife from Shepard a hard look. “Tallman you are side lined.”

“What?! But Sir-!”

“That is an order.” The captain snapped out. “Corporal Leon, you’re taking Tallman’s place. Grab a weapon and join the team.”

“Yes sir.”

Shepard saw several people collecting credits and smiled as she saw Leon pick out a sniper rifle and a small calibre pistol. 

This was going to be very interesting.

~~~@~~~

The storm broke just after they started the challenge, leaving a light mist and a slightly humid area around them, needless to say, no one but the Captains were able to see where everyone was positioned thanks to the computer trackers in their armour and the weapon cams on the guns. 

It was almost amusing when the first shots were from the scouts and they ended up taking out each other.

“Scouts shot down!” a voice called out, alerting the two sides that had both lost their scouts.

~“Shit… they take each other out?”~ Their leader, Kelly asked over the comms from the human base.

~“It wasn’t a sniper shot.”~ Their lieutenant, Kingston stated. ~“We’d have seen the muzzle flash.”~

~“How does a Turian not know when his own sniper is about to shoot?”~ Leon asked. ~“I thought they used their sub vocals to warn each other about that kinda thing?”~

~“I’ll explain it to you later.”~ Shepard stated as she pressed herself against the base inner wall, hidden by the shadows. “Leon, what you got?” She asked quietly.

~“Looks like they are sorting out a new scout, can’t tell who from here but it looks like they are fortifying their lines.”~ Leon asked.

“Sounds like they’re playing it safe.” She said. “What do you think we should do, Kelly?” She asked.

Kelly was quite for a time, thinking carefully. ~“I want to know the minute the Turians move, Leon. Kingston, Henry and Uni, I want you on the North, East and West walls, weapons ready, Shepard stay where you are, Lucky, your job is to keep Leon safe.”~

~“Yes ma’am.”~

~“Yuki, Fern, Cass, King and Jay. How are you doing?”~

~“Relax baby K. the King’s got this covered.”~

“Sure he does.” Their captain sighed watching the screens shown off the weapon cams the teams were wearing. “Stop ogling Yuki’s ass King, this is meant to be a challenge not a sex game.” 

That got most of the humans sniggering. 

Meanwhile across the field, the Turians were also fortifying their base line and preparing to go in, Corinthus leading the ‘attack’ team while Victus set the defending team up.

“Be ready for anything and please try to stick to the plan for once Victus.” Corinthus pleaded without real effort.

~“I will try, assuming you plan on making sure you at least try to win against Shepard.”~ Victus stated.

~“Can you two think of anything other than barking at each other?”~ Another Turian asked, a female who was currently set up with the sniper, acting as his spotter. ~“Or are you both looking to make your selves look good for the female’s back home?”~ 

~“Careful Kilaa, any Turian would say you were jealous.”~

~“Go fuck a Krogan Hitma.”~

~~~@~~~

“They are good at this.” Someone said from behind him, “Are you sure they aren’t texting?”

“Those who are still alive aren’t but the two dead scouts are talking via text, apparently they are debating something humans call ‘ducking’.” The Turian Captain said sounding slightly confused. “What is this ‘Ducking’?”

“It’s a concept of avoiding being hit by a projectile,” the human Captain chuckled. “Humans call it ducking because to avoid the projectiles you usually fall lower than the thing we are trying to avoid.” He said. “You might get a demonstration if you are lucky.” He added nodding towards where some of the humans not involved in the challenge were tossing a ball between themselves and doing small tricks. 

Trouble was, they weren’t watching what they were doing and the ball went flying towards a young tech officer who had his back to everyone and wasn’t aware of the ball flying towards him.

“Shit! Casey Duck!” Tallman yelled.

The tech officer bent at the knees and brought his arms up to cover his head as the ball shot over head and smashed into the screen of the computer and then bounced off, rolling to a stop by a wall.

“Who threw that?!” Casey demanded getting back to his feet. “How am I meant to work if you idiots break everything!?” He added.

“Shit…. Sorry Casey.” Tallman tried to say before he and the other soldiers were verbally beaten down by the younger male.

~“What’s going on up there?”~ Corinthus asked.

~“Who pissed off Casey?”~ Kelly added. ~“We can hear him down here.”~

“Tallman and his boys were playing ball, they threw it too hard and broke the Computer.” Luka explained.

~“They’re fucked.”~ Kelly chuckled. ~“Tell me that it’s being recorded?”~

“I’ll have a copy e-mailed to you.” He chuckled. “Now focus on your challenge please.” 

~“Aye sir.”~ Kelly chuckled. “King, move out.” 

Shepard smirked as she listened to the comms, but said nothing knowing any sound would give her away and that would not do her team any favours, they were to defend their base not invite people in.

And by the sound of things, the two attack teams were on the move, meaning they were going to be having some company at some point soon. She heard a shot go off and smirked as a Turian gave a startled yell. They were close, coming in from the east, right into Leon’s cross hairs and Henry’s automatic fire.

~“Kelly, Uni, Kingston, keep your eyes sharp, they’re here.”~ Henry spoke before several shots rang out. 

“Andi still alive?” Victus asked over the comms after a loud shot went off.

~“No sir.”~ Kilaa answered. ~“The human sniper took him down. Head shot.”~

“Corinthus, your team mate’s dead.” Victus said. “Was that part of your plan?”

Corinthus didn’t answer for a time until two shots were heard. ~“The Human sniper and his spotter are no longer a problem.”~

~“Shit! They got Lucky and Leon!”~ Henry growled into comms. ~“I don’t see ‘em.”~

“Watch the shadows!” Kelly commanded.

Shepard listened carefully and waited, taking deep breaths and then squeezing the trigger of her pistol as two Turians tried to get in the door way of their base, bright green and yellow paint splatting their chests and they both fell, playing dead with slight grunts having landed in a heap. “Nice try.” She said as two more shots rang out.

“Report!” Kelly yelled from a few feet away. “Shit!” she snarled realizing there was no one on the defence team left but them.

~“What the fuck is going on back there?!”~ King demanded over the comms.

“Me and Shepard are on our own.” Kelly hissed, scanning the area.

~“Fuck. I’m sending Yuki and Cass back to you.”~

Shepard turned and squeezed the trigger of her pistol again, taking down a Turian trying to get in via the window with a bright flurry of orange paint to the side of the head and a loud yell as he fell back and landed on an already ‘dead’ Henry.

“No need.” She said into her comm, “Corinthus is on his own now.” 

“How do you know he isn’t the one you just shot?” Kelly asked. 

“Wrong armour colour. Plus Corinthus is taller by about half an inch.” Shepard stated simply before drawing back into the shadows, allowing Kelly to focus on defending the windows.

~~~@~~~

“Observant for a human.” Another Turian stated, unable to keep the amazement out of his voice. 

“And deadly.” Tallman said. “Never seen anyone so quick on the draw.”

“She’s an N-7 idiot, what did you expect her to do? Punch him?” Casey asked. “Though I do wanna know how she knew he was coming in, I didn’t even notice him.”

“Like you said she’s an N-7, they get trained to notice shit like that.”

The two captains ignored the talk behind them, keeping notes and tabs on the sudden flurry of Text talk. It seemed Shepard’s killing streak had just made some humans very rich while others were making new bets on whose side would win. 

“This is getting interesting.” Xenkhan chuckled.

“Indeed it is.” Luka smiled, “Casey, what are the betting pools at?” 

“50 - 50 each way sir.” Casey stated. “Looks like we might have to make sure people know that this isn’t part of the one on one.” He added.

“Make sure it’s clear.” The Human Captain smiled. 

~~~@~~~

“Fucking hell, that sniper’s good.” King yelled ducking under cover to protect his head from the shot that bounced off the wall he was hiding behind. “Shit… one of you get rid of ‘em!” 

“Easy for him to say he isn’t getting his ass shot at from all damn sides!” Cass yelled from where she was pinned down from fire from the base. “Fucking hell! Make your move Fellas!!”

“Working on it!!” Yuki yelled unloading colourful pellets into the Turian base and then tossed a dummy paint grenade into it, hearing several ‘death’ cries. “Fern! Count ‘em and check!”

“Going!” Fern assured slamming himself against the protected wall of the base, peering in and nodded, counting all but three Turians off his list of ‘Defending’ team, coated in harmless paint. “OK we’re all clear! Only three Turians un accounted for two of who we know about, the third is off playing games at our base.”

“Alliance Base, Turian base is taken, but we still have stragglers, orders?” King asked over the comms to Kelly.

~“Take out the stragglers, Shepard and I have a fun game of hide and seek going with our own Turian.”~

“Yes ma’am.” King said. “You heard the lady, take out that sniper and spotter!”

“Yes sir!”

~~~@~~~

“What’s she talking about. Hide and seek?” Tallman asked.

“Kelly’s seeking, Corinthus is waiting for her to make a mistake so that he then only has to deal with Shepard.” Casey said, “And it looks like they are about to have some real fun.” He added looking at the screens.

~~~@~~~ 

Kelly looked at Shepard who nodded and carefully peeked around the wall, seeing nothing, she leant back and signalled Kelly that she couldn’t see anything, before Kelly could step closer however, Shepard pointed up and held up two fingers. Corinthus was above them, on the second floor, waiting to take them out when they stepped outside.

“Sneaky fucker.” Kelly whispered. “How’d he get in?”

“Roof hatch?” Shepard suggested. “He’s moving every few minutes, the rain makes it hard to pin point, but he’s defiantly above us.” She said. 

“Doing what?”

“Setting a trap… maybe looking for a way down.”

“How do we take him out?”

“Working on that,” Shepard smiled looking around the room again and spotted something on the table near the wall and silently moved towards it, carefully praying it open to find a very bright shade of pink paint inside the can.

She was about to reseal the can when she heard movement above her and then smiled ear to ear. “Light bulb,” she said showing Kelly the paint.

Kelly looked at the can and smiled. “You are evil.” 

“Corinthus! We’re pinned!” Kilaa called down the comms. “Corinthus!!”

~“So get unpinned, I’m busy.”~ He said in as quiet a tone as he could. ~“Blame Victus, he put you two together.”~ He added just before a shocked yelp was heard followed by a single shot.

“Corinthus?! Corinthus you ass answer me!” 

~“Your General is dead.”~ Kelly answered over the comms, ~“Though I will say, hot pink paint suits him better than black.”~

“WHAT? AGH!” Kilaa screamed as she fell having been hit in the chest and both knees, then felt a painful weight on her back as Hitma landed on her. “Ow… ow… ow…”

King chuckled. “Base, this is King, all Turians tagged.” 

~“Aye.”~

“Challenge over. Humans take lead.” 

“Ok… what the hell did you do to Corinthus?” King asked.

~“She threw paint at me.”~ Corinthus stated slowly getting up. ~“Pink paint at that...”~

“This I have to see.” Victus said helping Kilaa and Hitma back to their feet.

~“Ow, ow and ow… ok new rule, no shots aimed at the front of face please… my helmet squashed my nose…”~ Lucky requested.

“Aw, poor Lucky.” Fern chuckled as the two sides gathered together. “How’s Leon?”

~“I’m blue.”~ Leon answered and he was in fact covered in blue paint. “And Lucky’s green.”

“Shepard and Kelly are clean,” Kingston said wiping the bright yellow paint off his helmet. “I hope this stuff doesn’t stain…” 

“It won’t.” Kelly said trying not to snigger as she watched Corinthus step outside, Shepard already forcing herself to look away while her shoulders shook with hidden giggles and laughter.

The first chuckles broke out and soon they were all laughing. 

~~~@~~~

“You have GOT to be joking?! They took out Corinthus with a make shift grenade?!” someone demanded.

“Tell me they’re coming up here for a photo finish!”

“Betting pools already setting up again.” Casey said calmly.

The two Captains were struggling to keep straight faces at what they had seen.

“Alright, all of you back up here and clean off.” Captain Xenkhan finally managed to say after the laugher had died down from both sides, though he was attempting to keep the amusement out of his voice.

“How did you know I would shoot that can?” Corinthus asked as the two teams boarded the large lift platform that would take them out of the Challenge area.

“Turians relay on instincts and clearly they don’t know how to duck. So Shepard threw the can at you while crossing the door way and when you moved to shoot it, I took the kill shot.” Kelly explained.

“Where’d you get the idea from?” Victus asked, carefully removing his helmet to inspect the new paintjob it had been given.

“I did something similar as a prank in basic, tossed green paint at a high strung rich kid while she was in target practice. She thought it was a target and opened fire, got a nice green facial mask.” Shepard said.

“Did you get caught?” King asked.

“Nah, she was meant to know the difference between a can of paint and a target. Though the Commander in charge of training was trying not to laugh while telling us that.” She said.

“What are you sniggering at Yuki?” Cass asked. “It’s just paint.”

“Oh come on, you don’t find any of this funny at all?” Yuki asked. “Even Fern’s smiling and he’s got the humour of a brick wall unless he’s in the mood.”

Cass shrugged. “Still don’t get why it’s funny.”

“Oi-oi-oi…” King sighed. “We really need to teach her the concept of humour some time.”

“Why?” Cass asked. “I know what a joke is and why people laugh about ‘em but I just don’t see how a Turian getting covering in paint is funny.”

Shepard shook her head but said nothing, as they reached the top level. 

“Ok, wash up and rest up, the rest of you weapons ready and get down there for round two.”

“Aye Captain!”

~~~@~~~

Four rounds later, the two teams were evenly matched, even if no one could match the fun of the first round, even though Corinthus was likely never going to live that down. Shepard had taken to sitting on the railing while watching the games, not placing bets or really talking with anyone, just watching what was happening below her.

“Someone important down there?” Corinthus asked from her left.

“No.” She answered, “Just thinking…”

“About Kirana?” 

A nod. “She liked these games… she use to say that she’d teach Ken and Jennix how to snipe while upside down… just thinking how she’d have done that here.” 

“She’d have found away and likely given every male on her team a reason to dislike you and Officer Ken.” Corinthus said, “And likely most of the Turians too.” 

“Most dislike me anyway, just for being human.” She pointed out, finally looking at him. “Not so sure if it will change just because we have a one to one.” She added.

“Some might change, I know some are willing to think differently of humans even if it is only those humans who have a certain orientation in their sexual lives.” He chuckled.

“Did they happen to know Kirana by any chance?” She asked with a light chuckle. 

“Some did, others were asking about you, and Officer Ken… and I believe some were also asking about Jennix, before the first challenge.” He admitted with a smile.

Shepard smiled. “Why am I not shocked by that?” She asked rhetorically and then looked down as several shots rang out. “Someone’s going to be very colourful.”

“Indeed.” He chuckled.

They fell silent for a while until he asked a question few people ever thought to ask.

“Why is the knife named Fang?”

Shepard chuckled. “I’ve had Fang since I was a pack runner. Part of the Wolf Gang in the city I grew up in, I needed protection and being so young, I couldn’t use a gun without falling over from recoil. So I used a knife, back then the pack called me Runt, because I was so little and because I was a quick learner with the knife the running joke was ‘runt’s got fangs’. The name stuck and before I left the gang I carved the name into the knife handle and after that I just started to refer to Fang as a ‘he’ rather than an ‘it’.” She explained.

“Sounds logical.” He stated. “But why do you still have him?”

“Habit… and I guess fear really.” She admitted looking up as the sky darkened again above them, promising more rain and possibly thunder.

“Fear?” Corinthus asked.

“If I leave Fang, I might need him for something and that could mean the difference between life and death… living on the streets taught me that you must always have a last resort if you can’t use guns or your own strength.” She admitted. “I got so use to having him with me, I can’t leave the ship without knowing he is somewhere near me or knowing he is on my person.”

“He is your security?” Corinthus said after a time, the rain starting to grow heavier as something make the skin on his neck tingle.

“That’s one way to put it.” She nodded just as a low rumble was head over head.

“We are due to begin in a few hours.” Corinthus stated. “For what it’s worth, Jade would be proud to see you back in the fleet.” He said heading to the weapons locker to stow his weapons.

She smiled and looked back at the current challenge. “Hope you’re watching me guys…” She prayed lightly.

“Shepard, time to armour up.” Kelly called over.


	8. Hand to Hand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She might not win, but for those she has lost, she isn't going to lose.

“Are they really going to fight in this weather?” Leon asked.

“Yes.” Victus said.

“What if they get struck by lightning?” 

“We have stationed lightning rods around the higher areas, to keep them at least a little safer, they have both already agreed to continue despite the storm.”

“They’re crazy.”

“No, they are honourable warriors.”

Kilaa carefully searched Shepard’s armour looking for any hidden weapons or anything that could be used to give her an advantage. She found nothing and stepped back, looking her over. “Light armour against one of us?”

“I’d ware my civvies if I was allowed.” Shepard said. “These feel too constrictive.”

“Not sure if that is brave or foolish.” Kilaa stated, but said nothing more as she headed to the lift plat form where Kelly was already waiting having found nothing on Corinthus that was not permitted in the challenge.

“She in lights?” Kelly asked.

“Yes she is.” Kilaa nodded.

“So is he.”

“Brave.”

“General Corinthus, are you ready to begin?” Captain Xenkhan asked.

“Yes Sir.”

“Commander Shepard, are you ready to begin?” Captain Luka asked.

“Yes Sir.”

“Stance!”

Corinthus put a foot behind him while dropping slightly into a casual stance, deceptive in its self, whereas Shepard swept a foot behind her and brought her arms up level with her torso and waist, neither taking their eyes off the other. Camera’s zoomed in ready to capture the first movement, rain soaking most people as they watched from the front line while other sat inside watching over the large screens.

“Begin!”

Corinthus moved first, charging Shepard without warning only to be giving a swift chop to his back as she spun aside at the last second, grabbing the collar of his armour and slammed a fist into his face, enough to knock him back.

He staggered slightly watching carefully as Shepard backed off a step or two, shifting her weight from foot to foot while waiting for him to recover, she hadn’t knocked him out of the ring but rather than pin him she was testing him, she wanted to know how he fought, what she could do before he could get a hit on her.

He moved again this time he was able to get a punch to her gut area and a swift kick to the torso feeling his foot being grabbed before he was twisted unnaturally and thus lost his balance and hit the ground and felt pain rip up his left leg before his kicked Shepard in the jaw with his free foot.

Now they were getting serious.

Shepard smiled and spat a small amount of blood to the ground while he stood again as they charged each other again, this time landing even blows and blocks as the storm raged over them. Round and round melted together, faintly the two heard their respective commanding officers calling the verdicts and they were both even so far.

By the eleventh round, both were sporting bloody cuts to their faces, nothing that would scar, but also not enough to drive them from the ring, Corinthus knew he’d come close to fracturing her jaw, just as she knew she’d come close to snapping his left mandible.

Shepard panted and smiled. “So… Having fun yet?” She asked.

Corinthus chuckled. “I’d defiantly accept another challenge… Might even recommend you to a few other Turians I know who would enjoy a spar with you.” He admitted.

“So long as they focus on fight me no fucking me.” There was a splutter of chocked laughter from the audience.

“Can’t make any promises on that one,” Corinthus stated. “Turians enjoying sparing but we only go where we are invited to go.” He added hearing several sub vocals growling around them.

They charged each other without warning again, this time they weren’t holding back, every blow was meant to be the last blow even as they felt the ache and strain of their injuries.

“Damn… how is she still standing?”

“God knows.”

“Corinthus has never gone this long…”

“Victus are you sure they should still be going?”

“Until one is knocked out or thrown from the ring. They are allowed to keep going.”

Fists and feet matched at every move, the two broke apart again panting and aching as they stood, ready to attack again but not so willing to be the first to move, this was going to be the last attack.

Corinthus was the first to move, able to land one final good punch into Shepard’s Gut only to have her grab him and yank him out of the ring with her as she fell back.

“Tie!”

Kilaa and Kelly headed into the ring, checking their respective officer and helping them back to their feet and to the lift.

“You two ok?” Kelly asked.

“I think so… might have a few bruises for a while though…” Shepard said having to lean on Kelly as her body got us to the pain she was feeling. “I hope there’s still hot water left…”

“I hear that…” Corinthus said, wincing as his mandibles twitched. “I’m going to need an ice pack and someone to check my mouth… I think you broke a tooth.”

“You broke one of mine, I know that much.” She said wincing and then reaching into her mouth and pulling the broken tooth out, perfectly cracked down the middle. “Ow and ow again.” She hissed taking the water bottle from Kelly and washing her mouth out.

“We’ll have to do this again some time.” Corinthus said.

“I’ll keep it in mind.” Shepard chuckled. “So long as you don’t go getting soft.” 

“Turians don’t soften in age unless we become ill or frail.” Corinthus chuckled, offering his hand to her. “Next time?”

“Next time.” Shepard nodded, taking his hand and shaking it, admittedly with less force than needed, but really neither minded nor would either admit that even shaking hands was painful.

~~~@~~~

“Not even a month off leave and you are back in my care, what am I to do with you?” Chakwas asked as she tended Shepard’s cuts. “Hold still.” 

“Easy for you to say, Ow… That stuff stings… Ow!” Shepard said wincing as the lotion was applied to her cuts. “Ow, ow, ow…”

“Oh do hush. It will help your cuts heal and prevent infection.” Chakwas chuckled.

“Ow! Careful!” Both ladies looked back as Corinthus bellowed at Victus as they approached the door.

“I didn’t think a human could punch that hard.” 

“What did I break?” Shepard called out.

“Nothing. My mandible is being braced to keep it still for a few days.” Corinthus said as he came in a small splint preventing it from moving. “Victus was trying to get a better look.” 

“What you’re the second Turian only to have that injury, I want to know how bad it really is,” Victus stated.

“Let Shepard punch you and you can find out for yourself.” Corinthus growled.

“No fighting in medical bay.” Chakwas said firmly, “Ok Shepard you can go, but come back in the morning for further checks on those bruises and internal injuries.”

“Yes Chakwas.” Shepard smiled slipping off the bed and heading out the door, “Where are you two heading?”

“Tallman and Kelly are tag teaming with Kilaa and Hitma.” Victus said. “I have a few creds on that fight.” He added.

“I was going to enjoy a warm drink while waiting over the vid screens.” Corinthus smiled as best he could. “Care to join us?” 

“Nah, I’m going to get Fang and then go and indulge in some hot chocolate and comedy movies.” Shepard said, spotting the captain she smiled. “Speak of the devil.”

“Come to get Fang have you?” Luka asked, reaching into his pocket and handing her the knife. “Enjoy yourself Shepard. You’ve earned it.”

“Thank you Captain.” She said before heading to the barracks.

~~~@~~~

He approached the barracks and paused, hearing the sound of someone laughing and music, he followed the sound and found her sat alone in her small room, curled up on the bed and a Vid screen showing some old Earth show containing clips of people falling, slipping and tripping. It seemed to have the desired effect, making her laugh to the point where she was having to hold her sides. 

“I see you’re sense of humour hasn’t changed, Marie.” He smiled and the reaction was almost instant. She stood and all but threw herself at him, hugging him tightly. “Hello my dear.”

“I thought you weren’t going to make it…” She said somewhere between crying and laughing. “What are you doing in here Moore?”

“I can’t come to see the progress you have made?” He asked gently holding her close. “I heard you fought with Corinthus and tied already.”

“We did…” She nodded. “He hits hard.” She added.

“I should think he did, he is a Turian.” He smiled, “How do you feel Marie?” he asked.

“Better… I’m… I’m almost back to 100%.” She chuckled, “I… I’ve missed you, Moore.”

“I am always at the end of a comm call Marie, no one will stop me being there for you.” He assured gently ruffling her hair. “We may not be family, but damn it all if you need me for anything comm me even after I retire, I will gladly do all I can to help you.”

She smiled and nodded. “I will remember that Moore,” she said.

“Good.” He smiled back, then looked at the vid screen. “You’ve Been Framed?” 

“It’s the best I could get off the extranet.” She chuckled. “Care to join me?” She asked.

“I suppose I can spare a few hours to laugh myself silly.” He smiled.

And so they sat, laughing themselves to tears with the clips from old day, to any who saw them, it would have been little more than maybe friends enjoying themselves at other’s mishaps.

Shepard saw Moore as a friend and maybe more, not quite a father figure, but someone she could call family… maybe a much older brother, he’d done much for her when she’d signed up, taught her in basics, fire arms, hand to hand, close combat, he’d paid for her apartment on earth, bought her the clean clothes she owned now, given her that home she’d never had.

But he’d never forced her to stay, when she wanted to go, he’d let her go, when she needed a place to be Marie and not Shepard, he’d given it and asked nothing in return.

When she’d made the offer to repay him when she’d started earning he had told her to keep it for herself, only saying that his actions needed no repayment, they were his gifts to someone who showed promise and potential and when she asked what he’d do if she ever left the Alliance he had simply smiled and said, ‘I will do nothing, my gifts to you are the things you should have had from the start, to take them away just because you don’t stay with the Fleet would make me no better than the people who left you to the streets.’

She’d been sceptical at first, but over time his words rang true, even when she was in trouble for whatever reason, he had not once threatened to take away what he had given her and over time, no matter his reasons, he had earned her friendship and her trust to the point where he was one of the few who she allowed to call her by her first name, Anderson and Hackett weren’t quite there yet but slowly they were getting to it.

~~~@~~~

By the end of the challenge, they were at a tie. Either side holding the better of the scores, and neither quite able to stand straight due to pains and aches.

“First Tie in almost twenty challenges.” Corinthus smiled.

“I think the high ups will be annoyed.” Shepard said, cracking her knuckles. “Oh well.”

“What will you do now?” Kilaa asked.

“Not sure yet, still no word on my requests for a ship and crew, but with the Challenge underway, I wasn’t expecting anything to come flying back at me.” She admitted.

“You could go bug the Brass for an answer.” Casey suggested.

“Maybe.” Shepard said. “Might be too soon though, what with Moore putting in for his retirement.” 

“How long has he served?” Leon asked.

“89 years, six months, two weeks, four days and 17 hours.” Shepard said without thinking.

“Wow...” 

“Care to join us for a party?” Hitma asked. “We’re heading back to the Citadel.” 

“We’ll speak with our captain and see what we can do about that.” Kelly smiled. “But so help me if Lucky gets on the Karaoke again we’ll never get her off.”

“Same with Andi.” Kilaa chuckled.

~~~@~~~

They ended up at Citadel, most crew mates milled away to their own parties, and others headed to the local den, Shepard ended up in a little bar, enjoying a quite drink to herself while going over the latest news on the vid screen.

“Not one for heavy drinks?” Someone asked and she knew the tone, concerned boy scout who though she was too drunk to notice people around her, likely because there were nine empty cocktail glasses next to her.

“I’d order Moonshine if they sold it, but I’d then have to deal with you C-Sec boys, so I’ll stay safe with the weak stuff, thanks.” She answered smiling, turning the glass to show it was in fact a ‘lime and laid’ drink in her hand, not an alcoholic cocktail. “Why do you ask?”

“Not often you see an Alliance Commander on anything weaker than a whisky,” the officer stated as he sat beside her. “Not sure where you’d get moonshine though.”

“Earth still sells it, if you know where to find it.” She smiled. “So, who thought I was drunk?” She asked, “You or your friends at table five?”

“Them, I thought you were watching the news.” He said. “Names Jacks. Yours?”

“Not interested.” Shepard said, “No offence, but if your friend can’t come talk to me himself, I don’t want to know.” She added before he could give her a reply.

“How’d you know?” Jacks asked, ignoring the head hitting table sound at table five.

“Your comms blinking, you have a ring on and they are watching far too closely to be playing a card game.” She said. “Good bye Jacks.” She added.

The officer got the message and nodded, leaving the bar stool and heading back to the table, finishing her drink, Shepard sighed and paid her bill before leaving the bar.

She wondered around, almost lost in her own thoughts and oblivious to all else around her, from yelling officers, small children running around laughing, young couples promising romance in the night and elders bickering over old ways. 

She ended up at the docks again, lent against the rails, watching the stars as they shone around the Citadel, ignoring the slight chatter of announcements in the bays, just watching the stars.

Somewhere in her mind, a voice kept nagging that she didn’t belong here and she shook her head. Maybe she didn’t belong here, but she was here, despite all odds that had been stacked against her, she was here.

A weight fell on her shoulder, gentle and assuring without rush or need as a soft warmth embraced around her neck and a playful but gentle tug of her hair made her smile, but when she turned to see who it was there was no one there.

She reached back to check the bobble in her hair and found it was just as she had left it, still she smiled and willed the tears away as something warm blew over her cheek, feather light but there.

“Thank you.”


	9. The SSV Normandy SR1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some times, the thrill is too much to stay away until you are 100%.

Time passed rather quickly for her from then on, new missions with new faces, and some old, several sneaky drinks on ship duty to celebrate wins, a gathering or two with the high ups to be ‘formal’ with the other races at the insistence of the Ambassador. 

Anderson made those parties bearable, bless him and his ways of getting her that sneaky shot of moonshine when she was about ready to punch someone, having listened to yet another endless speech about how the humans were ready to become more to the Citadel, but damn if she cared what they did, she was struggling to find a set place in the fleet that would give her that thrill she had gained in her training but in this day and age, those missions were few and far between. 

Families of her old crew had found her and while most were happy to know someone was still keeping their lost family members alive, others were not so happy about her being alive.

The Greens…

That had been the hardest family to face.

She’d been called to a board meeting, to give her opinion on new potential N-7 candidates when she had meet them for the first time, the son had been angry, unwilling to believe that she hadn’t had something to do with the whole thing, the daughter also angry but not blaming her, and his wife…

Shepard knew Greens’ wife disliked her. The glazed look that held nothing but distain to her was beyond obvious, even as she wasn’t looking at the Green Family, Shepard knew there was no chance of her speaking to them and so instead, she had left the meeting in silence.

Greens’ son had other plans however and had swung his fists at her and gotten himself arrested for it, and while Anderson and Hackett had said she could press charges, she’d just shook her head and said she wanted to go home. Three days later, Greens’ daughter had shown up on her door and tried to explain her brother’s actions, Shepard had told her not to bother and asked her kindly to leave.

She’d not seen the Greens since and she was glad of it as she already knew there was no chance of mending what wasn’t there, she couldn’t give them answers when they had already made up their own minds about what had happened.

She did get in to some trouble when reporters turned up with bloody noses after trying to get an interview with her about Akuze but they quickly got the message and ran off when she started to crack her knuckles.

Hackett had offered her a place as a mentor, but that had been quickly declined when he mentioned that would mean her staying at the N-school, not that she didn’t like the idea, but the school rules would mean she was working with the Intel officers personally and that thought brought up one to many injuries that were still healing. 

Not all of them were like Steven Andrews, she knew that but he’d let laziness and stupidity take place of logic and reasoning and that had cost innocent people their lives and changed the lives of those left behind. 

Some months later, Jennix’s wife and son had made contact with her, asking for help getting his personal stuff from the Alliance and also if the little boy, Benjamin Jennix only 6 years old, could meet her.

She’d agreed, personally ripping the security guy’s ear off verbally for not releasing the personal belongings sooner to the family sooner before taking the boxes, filled with a game station, games and all Jennix’s other items to the small apartment on earth and handing it personally to the boy who’d been waiting for her all dressed in a child’s sized uniform like his father’s had been, complete with replica meddles as he tried to be brave and salute her despite the tears in his face when he realized she was not only handing him his father’s belongings but she was also staying a few hours.

He’d asked what his father was like and Shepard had told him everything. How Jennix had stood up for his friends, how he was a wicked shot with any gun and also of his softer side, how he was always willing to sit and listen to someone’s troubles, to be that shoulder to cry on and also the times he’d spoken of his ‘brave little Benjamin’. 

It had been hard not to cry herself when Benjamin Jennix had given her a hug and promised he would be a solider just like his daddy.

Madam Ruby had made regular trips to visit her, sometimes just to talk and have that comfort of knowing she wasn’t so alone as she had first feared now her wife was gone, while it had never been made official, the two referred to each other as sister-in-law, helping Madam Ruby with her lacks of confidence in her weak moments and giving Shepard that comfort that the Kirana family had accepted her just as Moore had. 

Jennie Ken’s father had come to visit Shepard while she had been on Earth during one of the ever so boring parties and asked if his daughter had been happy in her work, as if he’d been worried that she had felt pressured to be there by her family.

His relief when Shepard had told him of Jennie’s smiles, the little giggles and winnings she had from the Everfree had given Shepard an odd warmth inside, and for the rest of that party she had been happy to simply sit and listen to the elderly officer talk about the children he had lost.

She’d been sat in a bar, listening to some news update about something when she’d been approached by Greens’ wife for the second time, only this time the older woman hadn’t been with her children, and had been able to read over the reports and watch the recording of what had happened not only to the colonists, but also her husband’s crewmates.

The apology hadn’t been much, but Shepard hadn’t expected it had been easy for the woman to swallow her dislike for her.

After that, she had gone on one or two small runs, but she was starting to grave the old days, when she could go on a ship and there was the trill of knowing she was going to have some real action at some point, she’d left her name on the lists for jobs to try and get something better and now here she was, getting another boring briefing from some no name captain when a very familiar voice pulled her from the internal debate of just saying ‘no’ nicely or just telling the guy to stop nagging her with stupidity.

A missing cargo ship that had passed into the Terminus systems, didn’t take much to guess what that cargo had come too.

“I see you are completely ignoring him, Shepard.”

That was a voice she hadn’t heard in a long time, he sounded amused but also somewhat urgent.

“Hard to stay focused when he isn’t even talking about the right mission or even bothered to tell me his name or why I should be interested in something so small time.” She said leaning back and looking at Anderson upside down. “Hello Anderson.”

“Captain Anderson, I was just-” the first captain said then very quickly shut up and Shepard’s knuckles cracked as she smiled. “Leaving.” He said rushing off.

“Finally!” Shepard groaned looking back to Anderson. “Tell me you are here to take me off on some real time mission that involves lots of guns, big explosions and other unspeakable fun things.” 

“Not this time.” Anderson said and Shepard deflated faster than a popped balloon. “Why so eager to get out again, you could have gone on that run with Captain Grace or even stayed Captain Luka.”

“A fly by with the Asari or stay with a security detail for three weeks each. No chance of any real action unless some fool Pirates or Slavers show their ugly mugs.” Shepard said. “Anderson I haven’t had a real round of fights since that challenge with Captain Xenkhan and his crew.”

“That was seven years ago…” Anderson said giving her a sceptical look.

“Only seven?! Damn, I have to wait two more before another one comes around.” She huffed. “I’m going to be a very board Commander. No missions worth the time to get there, nothing to do until then and utterly no one fun to talk too…”

“Maybe not.” Anderson said sliding her a data pad. “Take a look at this.” 

Shepard sighed and took the pad, opening it up and flicking through the first five pages before stopping and going slightly wide eyed as she saw what she was reading. 

“She’s finished?”

“And under my captaining.” Anderson said with some pride. “But you see... I have no idea who to have as my X.O… and Moore is retired now, there are very few who I can see filling such an important role in such a unique ship for her maiden voyage.”

“Me?” Shepard asked. “You’d ask me to be an X.O.? On this ship?” She added in slight disbelief. “Why?”

“I want the best on my crew Shepard, even if it is only a shake down, I want to know that the people on my crew are able to work together no matter where they come from, who speaks what language, what race they are, and where in life they come from. I have everyone else in place, but I need an X.O.” Anderson explained.

Shepard smiled, looking over the pad and then towards the docks. “Do I get that Bottle of Moonshine you’ve been hiding form me if I come?”

Anderson smiled. “I’ll see you aboard the SSV Normandy SR-1.” He said standing and taking the pad with him, “She flies in three and a half hours. Just enough time to give you a tour while you’re stuff is brought aboard.”

Shepard smiled and finished her drink before following him.

~~~@~~~

“You stole the Normandy?” Shepard asked the pilot in shock. “God why do I miss all the fun stuff?” She added.

“Because you were busy with boring stuff Commander.” The man suggested with a cocky smile. “Names Jeff, but everyone calls me Joker. What did you get saddles with?”

“Marie Jane Shepard.” She chuckled. “Everyone calls me Shepard. So, you get to pilot her because you stole her and impressed everyone. Lucky bastard.” 

“Hey I couldn’t help it, she was calling to be taken from that stinky old dock and fly. And she’s a dream to handle and flies like a natural, a sweet ride and damn it if I don’t love her.” Joker said. “And Shepard as in, THE Shepard the one who survived Akuze?” 

“At least I can cross you off my potential asshole list.” Shepard said and nodded.

“I see you two are getting along like a house on fire.” Anderson said as he came by, finding Shepard and Joker playing snap cards while sharing a drink together in the galley, waiting for the last of the crew members to arrive and settle in before Joker set the ship ready to fly.

“What I can’t make friends with a pilot who gave the so call elite pilots a heart attack.” Shepard smiled.

“I would prefer my crew not getting to friendly.” Anderson said though there was a small almost unseen smile on his face.

Shepard smirked. “No offence, Joker, you are cute, but not my type.” She said.

“And no offence to you, Commander, but I don’t think we’d work out,” He said, “Though I do admit, you’d be one heck of a friend.”

“Tell you what Joker, you make sure this ship flies like a dream and I’ll beat the shit out of any one who dares say you’re a bad pilot.” She offered.

“Deal. And I’m out.” Joker said smiling as he turned over a hand full of credits.

Anderson rolled his eyes but said nothing. “Remind me why I asked you along, Shepard.” He asked while she counted her winnings.

“Because you needed an X.O. and Moore is retired.” Shepard chuckled. “Besides, you’d be lonely without me.”

The Captain shook his head but was still smiling all the same as he moved on. “You two friends?” Joker asked.

“He was captaining the Everfree during Akuze… I owe him a lot.” Shepard said, going a little stiff in the shoulders.

“I won’t ask for the details, but tell me this at least,” Joker said, “Did you really shout at Alliance Brass?”

Shepard smiled and sent him a small file. “Hackett recorded it.” She said.

“Wow… You are now one of my few heroes.” Joker chuckled.

She chuckled and took the time to survey the galley, she could see Chakwas talking with Anderson, several other officers sat around the tables nearby and a few faces she recognized by name but had not yet worked with them herself. 

“Full crew.” She said.

“Almost, there is one more crew mate we need to be a full crew.” Joker said. “One Kaidan Alenko.”

“Staff Lieutenant?” She asked looking over the pad she had with her, skimming the details of who was who.

“Yes, should be here any minute, he’s always the last one on the ship from what I know of the guy.” Joker said.

“Hope he’s not the stuck up type,” She said, “that would drive me up the wall no end.” She added, tucking the pad away and sighing. “So where are we heading first, Pilot Master?” She asked.

“No clue yet, Anderson said we were doing some shake down runs at the council’s request, just to make sure the Normandy is all she’s been made out to be.” Joker stated.

“The Council is funding this?” Shepard asked. “That explains why there’s a Spectre on-board then.” She added.

“Say what?” Joker asked looking around, “Where?”

“Right side, just behind Chakwas.” Shepard said taking a drink from her cup. “Weapons like those, there is no way he is a normal general.” She added with a slight grudge to her tone.

“Why is a Spectre coming on a shakedown?” Joker asked.

A good question, Spectres didn’t tag along on shakedowns and they didn’t often spend time around new ships unless they were the owner of that ship, so having one aboard now was odd.

“No idea, but I want to know where he got that pistol.” She said, “I’ve been needed to upgrade from the old beauty of mine.”

“You’d take Turian make over Human?” Joker asked.

“Don’t knock it ‘til you try it.” Shepard smirked. “Turians make better weapons than most and at least I can trust their stuff not to blow up in my face like the Salarian weaponry.”

“You have a point.” Joker nodded, “Well I better go make sure this baby is ready to fly, catch you later Commander.”

“Not if I catch you first.” Shepard smiled before finishing her drink and heading towards the Barracks.

Just as she’d expected, her room was clear of personal knick-knacks and other homely items so she unpacked and carefully set the glass swan on the dresser, where it would catch the most light and next to it she placed the tag chain and data-pad with photos. Smiling as the images slowly faded in and out of view. 

The tags were mostly gone now, returned to the families when their families had called to claim them, only four tags remained, Jennie Ken’s little pink bow, the chrome gamer style tag Jennix had made for himself, Jade Kirana’s silver tag with an engraved kissing lips and Commander Simon Greens simple stainless steel tags. 

She had been allowed to keep them by their families and had always carried them with her, even when in her civilian cloths she had them with her at all times, but for now she felt safe enough to leave them in her room… Safe enough to try and do this on her own again, after all it was just a shakedown, she wouldn’t likely be going into the field for a while so she wouldn’t need them with her for a while. 

She could start doing this on her own again now, but she would always keep the tags with her, the comfort and belief their former owners would watch over her if ever she faced something like Akuze again.

“I trust the room is warm enough for you, Nihlus?” She heard Anderson ask and chuckled, reminding herself that Turian skin was better suited to hot places and thus they liked to take the hottest rooms on ships, even asking for thermal blankets when on human or Asari ships when they could not find a suitable room.

“Yes, it is. Thank you Captain Anderson.” The Turian said. “I assume no one had to be removed to make room for me?”

“No, only you and Commander Shepard are on this level, though some of the other officers may come through in passing.” Anderson explained.

“Anderson,” Shepard leant around the door to her own room. “If I get an early morning wake-up call because someone fucked up the rota, heads are gonna roll.” She said ducking back into her room.

“You’re still settling in?” he asked looking in and then chuckled. “You didn’t even unpack when you got here did you?”

“You were giving me a tour and then I got chatting with Joker and time flew.” She said, setting her normal cloths in the draw, then folded her Alliance uniform in the draw next to them, giving Anderson a chance to look at the small travel bag she’d brought with her.

“So little.” Anderson stated.

“It’s a shake down, so I don’t need anything fancy so I brought my casual and my uniform.” Shepard chuckled, setting a small multi-coloured cube on the shelf with several data pads. “So where are we going for this shakedown. And if you say Space I’ll hurt you.” She stated.

Anderson smiled. “We are heading around the galaxy to different place, testing the systems of the Normandy in Shakedown runs while set teams in the areas search for any flaws or faults.”

“Sounds fun, why’s he with us?” She then asked nodding to the spectre.

“Nihlus is here to insure the Council’s requests are met.” Anderson said.

Shepard gave him a look, the answer came too fast to be natural and too sharply to be completely honest, Anderson must have realised that since his shoulders suddenly stiffened.

“The Council has been receiving strange signals and jumbled messages from some of their trade worlds and there are reports of unknown fluxes and system glitches they want checking out,” Nihlus explained from the door. “They asked that I accompany the Normandy as several of her shakedown runs take her past those areas. In effect I am doing two jobs for them at once, insuring their funding is well placed and investigating these strange reports. But as far as the crew needs to know, I am here to protect the council’s investments.”

Somewhat more believable, but still not entirely convincing… She’d let it side for now.

“So while we work, you get a taxi survive on the newest ship in the fleet, why do I get the feeling you are the envy of the Turian Hierarchy?” She asked with a chuckle.

“There were a few unhappy Turians when I left.” Nihlus admitted with a slight chuckle.

Shepard couldn’t help but smile herself, say what you would about their own ships, but Turians have no shame in admitting they were envious of something, be that a ship, a weapon or even the strength of others around them and when they could, they challenged those around them to see who was the superior race and when credits didn’t appeal, weapons or other trade goods were open to bartering. 

Nihlus was likely going to have a few unhappy looks sent his way when he got back to his usually post.

~“Captain Anderson sir,”~ Joker called over the comms, ~“All crew mates have boarded and settled, but Alliance Brass is on the coms for you, they wish to speak with you about something before we leave.”~

“And there’s the unwanted delay.” Anderson sighed before answering the comm. “Thank you Joker, have the ship ready to launch as soon as I am done with the Alliance Brass.” 

~“Aye sir.”~

Shepard watched the Captain and Spectre leave before she sat on her bunk, adjusting her armour slightly and dawning her weapons, all with their safety switches of course.

She then paused and reached into her side panelling and pulled out Fang, looking over the small knife, a new start should mean she was ready to let go of the past, and leave Fang behind with the tags. But somehow, she just didn’t feel right without it, even now.

She’d bury Fang one day… somewhere far away, where no one would find him… Maybe the day she retired. But for now, she carefully tucked him back into her side panel and stood, ready to face whatever came at her as she settled in as an X.O. of a ship. 

And maybe, she’d start to find that thrill she use to have when she was aboard the Everfree, when every call was guaranteed to give her a reason to use her weapons. 

End.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yea, this is an AU idea of mine on how the Commander would react to the loss of crewmates on Akuze and the relationships between her and other characters who are close to her during the games. I might have made the cannon characters a little OOC, but this is my first Mass effect story so I do apologize for it.
> 
> Might continue this in a series, depending on how I feel. It will be an A.U verse if I do continue, since I don’t like how little time Nihlus got.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this little work of mine, leave a nice review for me if you have any feedback for me, I’m open to it. 
> 
> Bye now and hank you for reading til the end ^.^


End file.
